Accused Armed Home Invader Ditches Stolen Jewelry In Front Of Cops: Police

CHICAGO, IL — A Northwest Side man is accused of committing an armed weekend home robbery in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood after officers saw him act suspiciously and allegedly toss a bag containing jewelry stolen in the incident, according to Chicago police. Christopher Perez, 23, of the 4800 block of West Fletcher Street, was arrested Saturday and charged with two counts of felony home invasion with a dangerous weapon, misdemeanor resisting and obstructing a peace officer and misdemeanor theft of lost or mislaid property. Perez also was in violation of his parole from a previous incident, police said.

According to a police statement released Monday, officers noticed Perez acting suspiciously at about 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 27, in the 4700 block of West Barry Avenue, tossing a black pouch on the ground after he ducked behind a parked car. When police recovered the pouch, they found it filled with jewelry, which Perez denied belong to him. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for the West Side and Chicago — or other neighborhoods. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

Believing the jewelry was stolen — something confirmed in a later investigation — police arrested Perez, who initially fought efforts to get him into a patrol car. After the victims of a home invasion robbery claimed the jewelry was their and that Perez had stolen it, the Belmont Cragin man was charged, police said.

During his bail hearing Monday, prosecutors claim Perez broke in to the home of a couple in their 80s in the 5100 block of West Wellington Avenue at about 1:20 a.m. Saturday, the Chicago Tribune reports. Perez allegedly threatened to shoot the couple before taking off with the wallet and wedding ring of the husband, 84, and the checkbook, rings and other jewelry belonging to the wife, 81, the report added.

A judge ordered Perez held without bail, the Tribune reports. His next court date is June 2, according to Cook County Sheriff's Office records.

More via the Chicago Tribune

Christopher Perez, 23 (photo via the Chicago Police Department)

Like What You're Reading? Stay Patched In!

• Like our Crime page on Facebook
• Check out the Events Calendar for what’s going on