Bartlett man, West Chicago man charged in armed robberies, burglaries

A Bartlett man and a West Chicago man have been charged with robbing several businesses in Bartlett, Batavia and West Chicago.

Alexzander Butchas, 22, of the 500 block of Foster Avenue in Bartlett, and Jonathan Lopez, 19, of the 400 block of Ann Street in West Chicago, appeared in bond court Tuesday morning in Wheaton, according to a news release from the DuPage County state's attorney's office. Butchas' bail was set at $30,000, while Lopez's was set at $10,000.

Both men, who were being held in the DuPage County jail, have been charged with armed robbery and burglary.

Authorities said the first armed robbery occurred June 12 at KL Liquors at 1351 Wind Energy Pass in Batavia. Butchas and Lopez, one of whom was armed with a baseball bat, forced a clerk to give them $200 to $250 from the cash register, then fled with a bottle of whiskey valued at $270 to $400, the news release said.

Two days later, two pair, armed this time with a baseball bat and a knife, stole cigarettes and cash from the 7-Eleven store at Route 59 and Schick Road in Bartlett, prosecutors allege.

On June 22, Butchas and Lopez, both wearing masks and one wielding a baseball bat, entered Uno Discount Amigo Express at 543 Main St. in West Chicago through a back door and then stole $50 from an employee as well as $50 from the cash register, the news release said.

The masked pair used a crow bar to break into the Dunkin' Donuts at 330 S. Neltnor Blvd. in West Chicago on June 30, stealing about $470, and returned to burglarize the store again Monday, when they were arrested, the news release said.

If convicted of the crimes, both suspects face up to 30 years in prison. They both have court appearances scheduled for Aug. 2.