Joliet's 7-Eleven Armed Robber Captured With Cocaine In Pants: Police

JOLIET, IL — Johnathon Steele, 50, was the gunman who walked into the Joliet 7-Eleven store at 325 South Larkin Ave. on Monday evening and Wednesday evening, and now he's behind bars at the Will County Jail, Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English announced Thursday evening.

Steele, who comes from the 200 block of Schorie Avenue, got booked into custody at 5:50 p.m.

He's being charged with:

• 2 armed robberies
• armed violence
• armed habitual criminal
• unlawful use of a weapon by a convicted felon
• possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver
• an active federal probation violation warrant for his arrest.

Monday's robbery was at 8:36 p.m. and Wednesday's was at 7:14 p.m.

During Monday's robbery, Steele displayed a gun at the cashier and got money from the register; on Wednesday night, Steele got away with a carton of cigarettes, Joliet police indicated.

"Based on a preliminary investigation, it was believed the same suspect had been responsible for both armed robberies," English revealed after Steele's arrest.

According to English:

• The detectives identified Steele as the suspect who had committed both armed robberies.
• At 1 p.m. Thursday, Joliet police saw Steele riding in the passenger seat of a car in the 200 block of North Hickory Street.
• Steele was placed into custody without any problems.
• Officers recovered a loaded .38 caliber handgun and suspected cocaine from his pants pocket.
• The vehicle was towed from the scene.

On Thursday night, Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk said that Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans' proactive policing philosophy is clearly making a difference and the officers are responding accordingly to Evans' approach.

That was abundantly clear after last week's arrest Jermaine Mandley in the first-degree murder of Maya Smith, 24, in the alley on Clement Street, the mayor said.

A former Joliet police officer in the 1990s, O'Dekirk said it seemed evident that this week's 7-Eleven armed robberies were probably committed by the same person.

In retrospect, O'Dekirk said it probably wasn't wise for Monday's robber to return to the same business and rob it twice because "our guys and women know who the street people are."

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

'Everybody Always Asks The Question Is Crime Up In Joliet?'

Arrest Made In Joliet Slaying Of Maya Smith: $5 Million Bail Set

Joliet Shooting Victim, 31, In Serious Condition As Arrest Made

Joliet's Overnight Shooter Arrested With Cocaine, Pot, Gun: JPD