Two Men, Juvenile, Nabbed in Cell Phone Robberies: Cops

Bryant Smith, 19, of Joliet (left) and Shaquan Lee, 21, of Justice. | Oak Lawn Police Department

OAK LAWN, IL -- Oak Lawn police thwarted a crew of alleged cell phone robbers when their vehicle was stopped after they had fled the scene of a reported robbery.

Two adults and a juvenile were charged for a string of strong arm robberies that occurred April 18, April 19 and April 20.

Shaquan D. Lee, 21, of the 8600 block of South 86th Street, Justice, was charged with two felony counts of robbery, and misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and possession of cannabis.

Also charged with felony counts of robbery was Bryant M. Smith, 19, of the 3600 block of Forest View Drive, Joliet.

The juvenile was charged separately in juvenile court, prosecutors said.

Around 11:09 a.m. Wednesday, Oak Lawn police went to a restaurant in the 6200 block of West 95th Street for a cell phone robbery that had just happened. Officers learned that the alleged robber had just fled westbound on 95th Street in a white Jeep Grand Cherokee, a police news release said.

A radio description of the vehicle and offender was relayed to surrounding police departments. A short time later, a Hickory Hills police officer observed a vehicle matching the description. The Jeep was occupied by a person who matched the description of the alleged robber.

The vehicle was stopped by Hickory Hills police and the owner of the cell phone was able to positively identify the juvenile, police said.

Two other adults, identified as Lee and Smith, were in the Jeep along with the juvenile. In bond court on Friday, the prosecutor said that Lee was the getaway driver and waited in the Jeep while the juvenile went inside the restaurant to grab the phone.

Additional charges were filed against Lee and Smith for two other cell phone robberies that occurred earlier in the week.

On April 18, a woman’s phone was taken by force in the 10300 block of South Central Avenue. A man’s cell phone was also grabbed from him April 19 in Centennial Park, 9400 S. Nashville Ave. Both robberies occurred in Oak Lawn, police said.

Lee and Smith appeared Friday in bond court, where Cook County Judge Peter Felice set bail for each at $30,000.

Smith is also being held on a no bail warrant for violation of probation stemming from a forgery case.

Both are due back in court May 19 in Bridgeview.