2 Elgin teens charged in attempting mugging

Two Elgin teens were arrested on Elgin's near west side after they beat a 49-year-old man and attempted to rob him, police said.

Demarquis S. Smith, 18, of 352 Billings St., and Aaron A. McGee, 18, of 365 Booth Court, Apt. 1, were charged in court Thursday with attempted robbery and aggravated battery, police said. A man told police he was walking west along the sidewalk on West Chicago Street at State Street at 2 a.m. Wednesday when two teens began harassing him.

He said that he turned around when he reached West Chicago and Crystal streets and one of the two punched him in the face.

They continued to punch him until he fell to the ground and then they started going through his pockets.

Four undercover police officers in the area witnessed them beating the victim, chased the two and arrested them on the 0-100 block of South Crystal Street, police said.

Extra police officers have been patrolling the area because of the high rate of crime in the neighborhood.

The victim identified both teens and both admitted they beat him, saying they were going to take anything valuable he had in his pockets, police said.

Bond for Smith and McGee were set at $5,000.

Neither teen was able to post bond and both were taken to the Kane County jail Thursday morning.

Their next court dates were set for Oct. 24 at the Kane County Judicial Center.