Two arrested in Aurora tobacco shop robbery, beating
Two 20-year-olds have been charged with robbing a tobacco store on Aurora's near west side in which authorities say a clerk was beaten with a wrench.
Johnny Garcia-Prado, of the 100 block of Smith Street, and Erika A. Reyes, of the 200 block of West New York Street, both of Aurora, face felony charges of armed robbery, burglary and two counts of aggravated battery, according to Kane County court records and Aurora police.
The charges stem from a June 20 case in which police said Garcia-Prado and Reyes - both wearing masks - entered a tobacco store on the 800 block of North Lake Street at about 2:40 p.m. and rushed the counter.
"Garcia-Prado then hit the clerk, a 67-year-old man, with a wrench, while Reyes took money from the cash register. The two then took several glass smoking pipes and ran westbound from the store," Aurora Police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said.
The clerk declined medical treatment and no immediate arrests were made, police said.
At about 6 p.m. Aug. 7, the two were in a vehicle being driven by Reyes, who was pulled over for running a stop sign at South River and Third streets, Ferrelli said.
Garcia-Prado was acting extremely nervous when one of the officers spoke to him, and he consented to a search where a small amount of suspected cocaine was found on his person, Ferrelli said.
Garcia-Prado was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and jailed; Reyes was issued a traffic ticket, police said.
Investigators on the tobacco store case noticed similarities between Garcia-Prado and the man on surveillance video from the robbery. After questioning both people, detectives were able to tie them to the robbery, Ferrelli said.
Reyes was arrested without incident at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday in the 900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, Ferrelli said.
Reyes' bail was set at $300,000 and Garcia-Prado's at $102,500. Reyes is due in court Aug. 25 and Garcia-Prado Aug. 30.
If convicted, each faces up to 30 years in prison with no chance of probation.