Chicago man faces armed robbery charges
A 38-year-old Chicago man was detained pretrial on armed robbery charges stemming from a theft report at a Wheaton auto supply store Monday.
Police said Elliot Thomas took a $26 socket wrench set from the store on the 3400 block of West Monroe Street, which set off an alarm. When an employee asked Thomas to come back in the store, he ignored her. When she followed him outside, police said Thomas displayed a handgun he was carrying in a cross-body bag.
Thomas got into a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe and fled the area. Glen Ellyn police caught up with Thomas shortly thereafter and took Thomas into custody. Investigators recovered a loaded handgun with a 15-round magazine from a cross-body bag found in the Tahoe.
His next court date is slated for Dec. 2 at the DuPage County courthouse in Wheaton. He faces up to 45 years if convicted.