Crime & Safety

3 Chicago Men Charged in Suburban Armed Robberies

An Arlington Heights gas station was among the businesses robbed at gunpoint.

Three Chicago men are facing felony charges for a series of armed robberies of businesses in Chicago and the suburbs that took place between October and February, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The robberies took place primarily at gas stations as well as jewelry stores, a pawn shop, a Dunkin Donuts and a 7-Eleven in Arlington Heights, Berwyn, Chicago, Glenview, Hometown, Lincolnwood, North Chicago, Skokie and Wilmette, according to a press release from the office.

The charges are the result of an FBI investigation of robberies and armed robberies that had similarities, including the use of a black semi-automatic handgun used to demand money or jewelry, and sometimes Newport cigarettes, as well, prosecutors say. While the robbers tried to disguise their appearance, surveillance video showed a similar pattern in their clothing and appearance.

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Tyree Craig, 29, and Jacobi Pickett, 21, were charged on a 13-count indictment Wednesday with robbery conspiracy, robbery and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. Pickett was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

They are accused of armed robberies of the following businesses, according to the press release:

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Dunkin Donuts, 3910 West Touhy Ave., Lincolnwood, on Oct. 20, 2013

Phillips 66 gas station, 1234 Sheridan Rd., North Chicago, on Oct. 21, 2013

Shell gas station, 9600 Crawford Ave., Skokie, on Oct. 21, 2013

Shell gas station, 3 East Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights, on Oct. 31, 2013

Marathon gas station, 242 Waukegan Rd., Glenview, on Oct. 31, 2013

Shell gas station, 5055 Touhy Ave., Skokie, on Nov. 30, 2013

Seven-Eleven, 500 Skokie Blvd., Wilmette, on Nov. 30, 2013

They are each also charged separately, Craig for the robbery of a Chicago jewelry store and Pickett for the robbery of a pawn shop in Hometown where $73,000 in jewelry was stolen. They will be arraigned May 1.

Craig and Jarryl Williams, 42, were also charged separately for a January robbery that involved four other suspects at a Berwyn jewelry store during which Williams was shot by a store security officer, prosecutors state. They were charged in a four-count indictment for robbery conspiracy, attempted robbery and brandishing a firearm. Williams was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm with a partially obliterated serial number. They have each pleaded not guilty in federal court to those charges.

Each count of robbery conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and each count of brandishing a firearm carries a consecutive, mandatory minimum sentence of seven years to life in prison. The felon in possession of a firearm charges have a maximum 10-year sentence.


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