UPDATE: Four Men Now Charged in Armed Jewelry Store Robbery
Two men had sped away east on I-80 after the robbery, but were found a few days after.
Updated, Tuesday, Nov. 1
Two more men were accused of robbing an Orland Park jewelry store at gunpoint and fleeing from police.
Antoinne C. Kelly, 31, of the 800 block of White Oak Lane in University Park, and Charles Harper, 37, of the 2900 block of West 183rd Street in Lansing, were each charged with two counts of armed robbery.
Kelly and Harper posed as customers and asked to see engagement rings while in Jewelry Gems and Designs on Oct. 25, according to a release from the Orland Park Police Department. Harper then suddenly pulled out a handgun and threatened the store owner and an employee, after which the men bound the owner’s and employee’s hands with duct tape, police said.
The employee and store owner were not injured during the robbery, police said.
Darrin O. Carter, 32, of the 3300 block of West Polk Street in Chicago, was then let into the store, and the three men started gathering jewelry on display, according to the release. The three men then left the store and split into two cars.
Lance P. Vaughn, 32, of the 3400 block of Congress Parkway in Chicago, was waiting as lookout in a car outside the store, police said. Carter was caught with Vaughn a few minutes after the robbery, while Kelly and Harper outsped a pursuing police officer south on LaGrange Road to I-80 in a Chevy Malibu.
Police found the Malibu three days after the robbery in Richton Park, as well as a 9mm pistol, though police have not said if it was the weapon used in the robbery.
Harper was arrested on Wednesday around 11:30 p.m. in Lansing, and Kelly was arrested Friday in Chicago Heights around 5:15 p.m.
Bail was set at $500,000 for Harper. Kelly was not granted bail due to a parole violation.
Both are scheduled to be back in court on Nov. 21.
Updated, Friday, Oct. 28
Two men were charged with felonies Wednesday in connection to an armed robbery at an Orland Park jewelry store.
Lance P. Vaughn, 32, of the 3400 block of Congress Parkway in Chicago, and Darrin O. Carter, 32, of the 3300 block of West Polk Street in Chicago, were each charged with two counts of felony armed robbery, a Class X felony. Bail was set at $500,000 for both men and they are both expected back in court on Nov. 21.
Police are still looking for two other men involved with the robbery who eluded officers and drove away down I-80.
The store owner and witnesses to the attack offered the following description of the two suspects:
- Male, African American, 5 feet 11 inches tall, 250 pounds, facial hair. He was wearing a dark baseball cap, dark blue short sleeve tshirt and blue jeans
- Male, African American, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 220 pounds, facial hair. He was wearing a dark baseball cap, and a tan long-sleeved sweater
The owner of Jewelry Gems and Designs, 9542 W. 147th St., reported three men had demanded jewelry and cash after displaying a handgun, on Tuesday around 3:50 p.m., according to a news release from the Orland Park Police Department.
The four men took an undisclosed amount of jewelry, and fled the area in two cars. Orland Park police caught one of the vehicles about a block away from the store, but a second vehicle got away, according to the release.
A newer model, dark blue Chevy Malibu sedan, without a front license plate and with an Indiana dealer plate, was seen by an Orland Hills police officer driving south on LaGrange Road shortly after the robbery happened, police said. A chase ensued and the Malibu would not stop for the police car. The Malibu was last seen speeding on I-80 east towards I-57, and the officer stopped following because of speed, according to the release.
The business owner and an employee were in the store at the time of the robbery, but neither were hurt, police said.
The jewelry and gun have not been recovered.
Anyone with information on the incident or the suspects should call the Orland Park Police Department at 708-349-4111.
Clarification: The robbery occured on Tuesday, Oct. 25. The original release sent from OPPD read the incident happened on Sept. 25.
Andrea Williams
8:41 am on Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Shooting at the mall, rape behind the Home Depot and now armed robbery? This violent crime spree in Orland is concerning. What is going on around here?
Denise Du Vernay
10:35 am on Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Since this vehicle had Indiana plates, they probably weren't from around here. If they strike again, it will probably be in a completely different area. Of course, that certainly doesn't mean businesses shouldn't make sure they follow safe practices and have emergency procedures outlined for all employees.
frank
2:18 pm on Friday, October 28, 2011
Early HOLIDAY CRIME shopping.
Everyone telling us crime is down.
Not the little guy on the street.
Our United States Attorney General, politics aside, is responsible to a great degree.
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Sue N.
2:42 pm on Friday, October 28, 2011
So happy Robin and the others in the Jewerly store were not physically hurt. Such a shame. This business is already suffering because of the economy and Lagrange rd construction, so really sucks that they would target this store. Not that I think any store is a better target...just feel especially bad for them.
I am curious to know if the OPPD is working the Frankfort PD. There was a residential robbery attempt in Frankfort yesterday and they caught the 2 armed robbers shortly afterwards. There was no indepth description of the accused, but if you look at the pictures of the one they caught running in the field, he could pass for the "Male, African American, 6 feet 2 inches tall, 220 pounds, facial hair".
http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/news/crime/8448485-418/two-men-in-custody-after-burglary-manhunt-in-frankfort.html
Not trying to point fingers at a possibly wrong guy, but its just as easier to take I80 and head south, instead of going north. And maybe these 2 decided to try residential instead of retail hoping they'd be less likely to get caught.
Debbie Lestarczyk
8:08 pm on Tuesday, November 1, 2011
just read this article about the robbery, glad to hear no one was killed. One of the assailants resembles the sketch of the person they are looking for from Indian Head PArk. murder of Kelly Olaughlin,,. Might be worth checking it out....