Sophisticated Parking Lot Burglary Targets Aaron's: JPD

JOLIET, IL — A 62-year-old Joliet resident, Billy Robinson, was arrested by Joliet police on burglary charges following a crime that happened on West Jefferson Street at the Aaron's Sales and Lease business parking lot, police said.

Robinson was later taken into custody and put in the Will County Jail. He's charged with burglary to a motor vehicle, and he also had two outstanding arrest warrants, police noted.

Joliet police were called to the Aaron's, 918 West Jefferson St., for a vehicle burglary last Friday around noon. People saw a man stealing two office chairs from the back of a van owned by Aaron’s Sales and Lease.

The thief then rolled the chairs across the busy West Jefferson Street and put them inside the lobby of the Larry's Barber College, 929 West Jefferson St., Joliet police indicated.

Officers investigating the crime saw a man matching the description of the suspect in the 100 block of North William Street and identified him as Robinson.

Robinson was positively identified as the suspect who had taken the chairs from the van, and he was placed into custody without incident, police Sgt. Dwayne English announced.

As for Robinson, he also held two active arrest warrants for failing to appear in court on traffic charges. One warrant was from the Illinois State Police and the other from Will County.

English said that the Aaron's furniture store van was unlocked at the time of the incident. The stolen chairs were returned to Aaron’s Sales and Lease.

After spending a week in the Will County Jail, Robinson was freed on Thursday morning after posting 10 percent of his bail, which got lowered to $2,000.

Robinson's next court appearance is set for July 19.