Injured Lake Villa armed robbery suspects in court
The second of two suspects hospitalized following a Lake Villa armed robbery is being held in Lake County jail in lieu of $250,000 bond, authorities said.
Christopher L. Patterson, 40, with addresses in Gurnee and Zion, has been charged with single counts of aggravated robbery and possession of a stolen vehicle after being released from an area hospital Wednesday morning, Lake Villa Police Chief Ron Roth said.
Roth said Patterson was an accomplice to Robert Hubbard, 42, of Fox Lake, who remains behind bars in Lake County jail on two separate $250,000 bonds.
Hubbard was charged with aggravated robbery and unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle in connection with the Jan. 23 robbery he performed with Patterson of the Circle K gas station in Lake Villa, officials said.
Hubbard was charged late last week after being released from the same hospital where he and Patterson were recouping from injuries suffered while fleeing the Lake Villa armed robbery.
Roth said Patterson walked into the Circle K gas station at Route 83 and Grand Avenue, pointed a toy gun at the clerk and demanded money. The clerk handed over an undisclosed amount of currency, and Patterson fled on foot before climbing into a stolen Jeep with Hubbard behind the wheel, Roth said.
The two fled in the Jeep east on Grand Avenue from the gas station, but were spotted by Lindenhurst police who gave chase. During the chase, the Jeep clipped an SUV and rolled over, injuring both men.
Investigator John-Erik Anderson of the Lincolnshire Police Department said Patterson is also a "person of interest" in a string of purse snatchings that took place in and around Lake County in early January.
Anderson said Hubbard has been charged by police for his role in three purse snatchings that took place in Deer Park, Wauconda and Lincolnshire between Jan. 7 and Jan. 12. He said police are still investigating to determine if Hubbard acted alone or if he had help from Patterson.
"We are looking into it, and he is definitely a person of interest in those purse snatchings," Anderson said.