2 charged in armed robbery of Lisle Verizon store
Two cousins are being held without bail after being charged with robbing a clerk at a Lisle Verizon store at gunpoint and escaping with roughly 60 cellphones and other electronics, authorities said Monday.
Charged in connection with the robbery are Ezekiel Thompson, 24, of the 100 block of E. Grant Street in Streator and Arron Thompson, 24, of the 3500 block of Frontenac Court in Aurora. Each has been charged with armed robbery with a firearm; aggravated kidnapping; unlawful use of a weapon by a felon; unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle; and defacing identification marks of firearms.
Authorities say the two men, each armed with a handgun and wearing a mask, entered the store at 1104 Ogden Ave. about 6:48 p.m. Saturday and forced the lone employee to the back of the store. They then ordered him to open a vault containing the phones and place them and other electronics in a duffel bag.
After the employee complied, authorities say the men bound his arms and legs, took his wallet and car keys and stole his car from the store's parking lot.
An investigation led by Lisle police, with assistance from the Woodridge, Downers Grove and Darien police departments, led to the men who were found in the parking lot of a Woodridge apartment complex.
Police said the pair abandoned the stolen vehicle and tried to run away, but were captured after a brief foot chase.
"It is alleged that these two men armed themselves, disguised their identity and threatened at gunpoint a store employee just trying to make an honest living," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a written statement. "As demonstrated with the quick apprehension of these suspects, brazen acts of violence as alleged in this case will attract the full force of DuPage County law enforcement.
"The cooperation between the agencies involved sends the message that anyone who commits such a crime in DuPage County will quickly find themselves behind bars facing very serious charges and a significant amount of time removed from society," he said.
"The teamwork displayed during this arrest highlights the tenacity and professionalism of our police officers," Lisle's acting Chief Ron Wilke said.
Arron Thompson pleaded guilty in August 2018 to domestic battery and aggravated battery. He received two years probation, but the state has asked several times for probation to be revoked because he failed to report as scheduled to the probation office and has been cited for traffic offenses.
Because each of the men had a gun, they face an automatic 15-year enhancement to their sentences if found guilty. Both are scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 28 in front of Judge Brian Telander.
• Daily Herald staff writer Susan Sarkauskas contributed to this report.