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Streamwood robbery getaway driver gets 11 years

A Streamwood teenager admitted Wednesday that he drove the getaway car during a 2012 armed robbery at a Mobil gas station at Schaumburg Road and Route 59 in Streamwood.

Patryk Karaluch, 19, made the admission as part of his guilty plea to charges of armed robbery with a dangerous weapon, specifically a bludgeon. In exchange for his plea, Cook County Judge Ellen Mandletort sentenced Karaluch to 11 years in prison and awarded him credit for 567 days in custody. He must complete at least 50 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.

Mandletort ordered the sentence to run concurrently with a four-year sentence Karaluch received for an aggravated robbery in Kane County.

Karaluch’s cousin, Pawel Szymulewski, 20, of Bartlett, is accused of entering the gas station and demanding money and property from the attendant while Karaluch waited in the car, said Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Gerber.

Streamwood police learned of Karaluch’s involvement in the robbery after they arrested Szymulewski, who told them he and Karaluch planned the robbery together, Gerber said. Karaluch later admitted to police they had done so.

Charges against Szymulewski are still pending.

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