Two men wanted in a string of armed robberies in Lake County, including one at a McDonald’s in Zion, have been arrested and charged, police said.
Arrest warrants were obtained for George C. Johnson, 24, of North Chicago, and Jerry T. Thomas, 19, of Chicago, on Wednesday charging them with aggravated robbery and armed robbery.
Zion Police Department Lt. Eric Barden said both suspects allegedly robbed the McDonald’s, 2008 Sheridan Road in Zion, around 6:41 a.m. March 31.
Zion Police Chief Kirk Henderson said that the two men were wearing surgical-type masks when they entered the store and one of them placed an order for food.
When the employee opened the cash drawer both subjects pulled out handguns and pointed them at the employee, Henderson said. One of the men reached over the counter and pulled cash from the open register.
“The second subject walked behind the counter, pointed the gun at other employees and attempted to get them to open the cash register at the drive through window. This was unsuccessful,” Henderson said.
Both suspects fled out the north door of the restaurant and were last seen walking northeast away from the building. No one was injured in the robbery and the offenders took an unknown amount of cash.
Thomas and Johnson has also been connected to three robberies in Waukegan and one in Roselle. Johnson has also been charged with an armed robbery in Beach Park.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded on January 28 to the 12700 block of Blanchard Road in Beach Park for an armed robbery.
Lake County Sheriff Spokesman Sgt. Christopher Covelli said that the victim told deputies she was robbed by someone she knew.
The suspect allegedly pulled a gun on the woman and stole money from her before fleeing on foot. Detectives positively identified the man as Johnson and an arrest warrant was issued for armed robbery on February 10.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Warrants Team initiated a fugitive investigation and determined Johnson was staying at a residence in the 1000 block of South 16th Street in Maywood. Johnson was taken into custody on Tuesday at the residence.
Police discovered a stolen vehicle from Waukegan parked at the residence where Johnson had been staying in Maywood. Waukegan police detectives were notified and are conducting an investigation.
Covelli said that a missing 15-year-old Waukegan girl was also found at Johnson’s residence. She was not being held against her will, he added.
Johnson remains held in the Lake County Jail on a $750,000 bond while Thomas remains held in the DuPage County Jail on a $850,000 bond.