Steak N Shake Robber Confessed, Had Loaded Gun: Complaint

JOLIET, IL — On the morning of Oct. 24, with plenty of customers inside eating their breakfast, Joliet resident JJ Amador entered the Steak N Shake at 2675 Plainfield Road and pulled out a gun demanding money from the cash register, court documents show. In quick fashion, Joliet Police officers captured Amador and charged him with armed robbery.

Now, the Will County State's Attorney's Office has asked a judge to declare Amador's getaway vehicle, a 2014 Chevrolet Cruz, a forfeited asset for the police, court documents show.

The forfeiture complaint lays out the following events surrounding the Steak N Shake armed robbery:

Joliet Police Officer Michelle Banas was the first officer on the scene and employees told him the robber ran out the door heading west. Banas said a male who fit the suspect's description running west through the Home Depot parking lot on Plainfield Road, court documents show.

Banas drove to the Home Depot and she confronted the suspect, Amador, and he "appeared nervous," court documents stated.

Amador was standing next to a 2014 Chevrolet Cruz and he told the officer that the car was his, court documents indicate. He gave the Joliet Police officer permission to search his car. When she did, she found no weapons, according to the complaint.

Later on, Officer Banas learned that a witness to the crime could identify the robber so the witnesses were brought to the Home Depot parking lot "for a show up," court documents show.

"The positively identified Amador as the (person) that committed the armed robbery at the Steak N Shake. Officer Banas then placed JJ Amador under arrest for armed robbery," the forfeiture states.

Joliet Police Officer Michael Kljaich put the detainee in the back of his squad car and drove him back to the downtown police station. Meanwhile, back on Plainfield Road, Officer Banas searched the area where she saw Amador running through the parking lots.

"There in a large bush, Officer Banas located a loaded .22 caliber silver North American Arms revolver, which had five live rounds in the chamber," the forfeiture informs the judge. "While at the Joliet Police Headquarters, Amador stated that he found the revolver approximately two weeks prior, on a bike trail, located on Ingalls Avenue by Pioneer (Road).

"Amador also admitted to attempting to commit the robbery at Steak N Shake."

A court hearing on the forfeiture of Amador's Chevrolet Cruz is set for Jan. 8.

As of Dec. 12, the 27-year-old Amador remained in Will County's Jail, unable to post 10 percent of his $200,000 bail. The defendant lives in the 200 block of Joliet's Republic Avenue, according to jail logs.