A Crystal Lake man has been charged after prosecutors say he robbed a woman, leaving her injured, leading to an off-duty officer chasing and tackling him at a DuPage County grocery store.
Maximus Herman, 21, of Crystal Lake, was charged with one count of robbery, a Class 2 felony, and one count of misdemeanor battery.
The Downers Grove Police Department responded around 5:33 p.m. Monday to Shop & Save Market for a report of a robbery.
The suspect, later identified as Herman, approached the victim who was shopping with her purse in her shopping cart, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Herman took the woman’s purse out of the shopping cart and then ran out of the store, prosecutors said, adding that the victim followed after Herman.
Herman was unable to enter a waiting vehicle in the parking lot and a struggle for the purse ensued between Herman and the victim, prosecutors said.
The victim fell and bruised her elbow during the struggle. Herman allegedly pulled the purse away from the victim and ran off with it.
An off-duty Illinois State Police trooper witnessed the incident and chased after Herman before tackling him in the parking lot, prosecutors said.
Downers Grove police officers took Herman into custody after arriving on the scene.
“It is alleged that Mr. Herman robbed an innocent woman of her purse while she was shopping at a local market. The type of brazen behavior allegedly exhibited by Mr. Herman will not be tolerated in DuPage County,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said.
“I want to remind the public to always be aware of your surroundings, particularly during the busy holiday shopping season. We are all thankful that the victim in this case was not seriously injured. I thank the Illinois State Trooper for his quick response when he saw a defenseless woman alone and in trouble,” Berlin said.
Downers Grove Chief of Police Michael DeVries commended the state trooper for his actions and for putting his safety at risk to apprehend the offender.
Herman appeared in First Appearance Court Tuesday morning where DuPage County Judge Joshua Dieden granted prosecutors’ petition to deny pre-trial release.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on December 18.