Two Charged in Walgreens Ice Pick Robbery

Photo: Scene in front of Oak Lawn Walgreens early Monday morning (top). Dion L. Ware (bottom left) and Michael Coffelt (bottom right) were each charged with one Class X felony count of armed robbery. | Lorraine Swanson and Oak Lawn Police Department.

Two men on the prowl for “girls and money” were both charged in Monday’s early morning ice pick robbery of an Oak Lawn Walgreens store, Cook County prosecutors said.

Dion Ware, 45, and Michael Coffelt, 49, were each charged with armed robbery, a Class X felony. Both appeared in front of Cook County Judge Peter Felice on Tuesday for a bond hearing in Bridgeview.

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According to information provided by Oak Lawn police and prosecutors, officers responded to a robbery just occurred around 1:29 a.m. Monday at the Walgreens store, 4740 W. 95th St.

Prosecutors said that Ware was a passenger in a black Pontiac driven by Coffelt. While Coffelt waited in the car, Ware walked into the store armed with an ice pick.

Inside the store, Ware displayed the ice pick and demanded cash. After a store employee handed over some money, Ware and Coffelt both fled the parking lot, police alleged.

>>> Suspect Robs Walgreens With Ice Pick: Reports

A patrol officer said he observed the Pontiac exit out of the Walgreen’s parking lot on to Hilton Drive and then turned eastbound on 95th Street at a high rate of speed, violating the no left turn sign.

As the officer followed the Pontiac an alert was broadcast of a robbery just occurred at the Walgreens’ store. Prosecutors said the officer attempted to stop the car, but it continued for a few blocks before stopping.

Prosecutors and police said that Ware jumped out of the car and fled with the officer pursuing him on foot. Coffelt remained inside the car.

Oak Lawn police, along the Bridgeview Police Department K-9 unit began searching the area. Ware was tracked to an apartment building in the 4300 block of West 95th St., police said.

An alert resident told officers he observed a man running into a unit in the complex. Ware was located and taken into custody after he was identified as the man who allegedly robbed the Walgreens store.

Prosecutors said money from the robbery was also found on Ware. The ice pick was recovered from an alley hear the apartment complex.

Coffelt was also taken into custody at the scene of the traffic stop. Prosecutors said that Coffelt told police he didn’t know Ware was inside the store robbing it.

Ware allegedly told police he saw Coffelt at a gas station in Indiana, and offered Coffelt money to drive him where they would “get some girls and money.”

According to court records, Ware was discharged June 27 from a Kansas prison where he had been serving a sentence for aggravated robbery.

A no-bond warrant was issued for Coffelt, who prosecutors said had violated probation for an attempted possession of a stolen vehicle conviction out of Markham.

The assistant public defender told the judge that Coffelt, of 19500 block of Redwood Lane, Mokena, had completed the 10th grade at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, but later obtained his GED. He also said that Coffelt made no statements to Oak Lawn police.

Ware, of the 14500 block of S. Green St., Harvey, attended a Lincoln Way high school but did not graduate high school. He has three prior felony convictions out of Kansas.

Ware’s bail was set at $150,000; bail for Coffelt was set at $100,000. Both are due back in court on September 3.