New Lenox Can't Be Easy Target For Armed Robberies: Mayor

NEW LENOX, IL - Over the past several months, while most village residents were sound asleep in their beds, the same scary scenario has happened in New Lenox. Hardened criminals, usually in groups of two or three, rolled up to one of the community's 24-hour businesses. One or two people enter the store. They pull a gun and they threaten to use it against the lone store clerk. Then, they clean out the cash register and often steal some cigarettes or liquor.

The same New Lenox 7-Eleven got robbed twice in August. Now, the Speedway gas station is being targeted by gunmen. After being robbed on Oct. 1, the Speedway got robbed again, this time around 4 a.m. Sunday.

New Lenox Police told Patch that it was a three-man crew that robbed the Speedway along Route 30. The same people initially robbed a 7-Eleven over near the Joliet Junior College campus along Houbolt Road, about 20 minutes earlier.

In response, New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann posted the following comments on Facebook. He wanted to assure the residents that the safety of the people who are employed at these 24-hour businesses is of the utmost importance to him.

"We live in a very safe community. That being said, every once in awhile, there are crimes that occur that cause us all great concern. Recently, there have been a few robberies that have occurred in the late hours of the evening/early morning at 24 hour businesses," the mayor stated. "Although this is happening in neighboring communities as well my focus is on our town."

Baldermann explained that he met with the upper administration of the New Lenox Police Department to discuss the matter.

"Aside from taking some additional law enforcement measures that I won't discuss publicly, I've directed the administration to set up meetings with the owners of these 24 hour businesses so we can address possible solutions to help deter these criminals from targeting our community," the mayor wrote. "The men and women of our police department do an outstanding job. It's times like these, however, that call for a total community response. I want to assure all of our residents and business owners that we will work diligently to continue to keep our town the safe place its always been. Thank you."

RELATED: Robbers Hit Joliet, Then Rob Speedway In New Lenox

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Main image via New Lenox Police, it's the Oct. 1 Speedway robbery