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Police say robbers unwittingly sought refuge in their police station

A pair of armed robbery suspects trying to evade capture after a holdup ran, almost literally, into the arms of police Friday when they unwittingly sought refuge in the Highland Park police station, authorities said.

Their accomplice didn't fare much better, police said, as he was captured by officers in the station's rear parking lot.

Now the three Chicago men - Eddie L. Hill, 24, Cordell C. Prince, 21, and Aries A. Rickenbacker, 22 - each face up to 30 years in prison if convicted of multiple felony charges stemming from the heist.

The stickup occurred at 4:13 p.m. Friday when two men entered the Verizon store at 235 S. Waukegan Road in Lake Bluff, tied up employees at gunpoint and placed them in the back of the store before robbing the business, Lake Bluff police said.

The employees, who were not harmed, escaped and called police. Descriptions of the robbers were broadcast to local police departments, and the suspects were spotted driving south on Route 41, police said.

Officers gave chase, following them as they exited Route 41 at Deerfield Road in Highland Park and crashed their car at Deerfield Road and Richfield Avenue, Highland Park Deputy Police Chief Tim Wilinski said.

The suspects ran from the crash scene to a nearby building, Wilinski said. Two fled inside and hid behind a vending machine, Wilinski said, while the third ran behind the building.

None apparently picked up on some obvious clues - such as a parking lot full of squad cars - that the building was a police station.

Civilian employees in the station alerted officers to the two men behind the vending machine, and they were captured without a struggle, Wilinski said. The third suspect was apprehended in the parking lot, he said.

About 20 cellphones and other stolen electronic devices were found in their car, along with a handgun, authorities said.

"We're very lucky no one was injured in either the crash or the violent armed robbery that preceded it," Wilinski said.

All three men are charged with armed robbery, aggravated robbery, unlawful restraint, armed violence, unlawful use of weapon by felon, possession of defaced firearm and aggravated unlawful use of weapon, police said.

Hill and Prince are in custody at the Lake County jail on $500,000 bail. Rickenbacker is being held on $750,000 bail. All three are scheduled to appear in court Oct. 5.

Aries Rickenbacker
Cordell Prince
Eddie Hill
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