2 Charged In Citgo Armed Robbery

OAK LAWN, IL — Two men were arrested in Chicago after they tried to rob a gas station in Oak Lawn, reports said. Terrell Gavin, 23, of Chicago, and 19-year-old Derek Flowers, of Calumet Park, were both charged with armed robbery and obstructing their identity. Both men were said to be armed.

Around 2 a.m. May 8, an Oak Lawn police officer was on routine patrol in the area of 99th Street and Cicero Avenue. While going through the traffic light, he noticed two men walking along the side of the Citgo Station building at 9856 S. Cicero Ave. Both were wearing black clothing, face masks and hooded sweatshirts, each with his hands in his pockets, reports said.

According to the report, the officer found the pair behaving suspiciously since neither had pulled up in a car, so the office made a u-turn and pulled into the gas station lot. When the officer pulled into the lot, both men came running out of the Citgo station and proceeded westbound down 99th Street, police said. The officer said he saw pair get into a Toyota Rav-4.

The officer got out of his vehicle and withdrew his service weapon. He ordered the men out of the SUV. Police said the driver looked at the officer and fled westbound on 99th Street. The officer was able to get a look at the occupants, who were later identified as Gavin and Flowers, the report said.

Employees told police that two men came into the store wearing face masks and approached the counter. Both men were holding guns and told the employees: “Give me the sweet shot,” and “where’s the money,” reports said. The employees ducked behind the counter and tried to lock the men in the store, but believe when they saw the officer in the parking lot the two ran out of the store without taking anything.

While police were reviewing security video, dispatch advised that Chicago police spotted the men’s vehicle in the city. The SUV was found unoccupied in the 10200 block of Prospect Avenue, police said. Two men matching the officer’s description of their clothing ducked down inside another vehicle. Police said the officer and Citgo employees identified both men based on their clothing and what they were able to see of their faces behind their face masks, The officer was also identified the men’s vehicle, according to the report.

The report said the key to the Toyota was found in Terrell’s pocket. Both men were taken to the Oak Lawn police station, where police said they gave fake names. Flowers and Terrell appeared for a bond hearing, where they were ordered held on electronic monitoring.