Officers responding to a retail theft at a Vernon Hills grocery store spotted the offending vehicle and pulled it over on Milwaukee Avenue in Libertyville, leading to the arrest of three people.
The Vernon Hills Police Department responded at around 8:18 p.m. on August 12 to a grocery store in the town for a report of a retail theft.
Store management reported that several bottles of alcohol were taken, Vernon Hills Deputy Police Chief Shannon Holubetz said.
“Management provided a description of a suspect involved in the theft as well as a vehicle and partial license plate which was obtained after the suspects exited the store,” Holubetz said.
Officers spotted the vehicle exiting the shopping center and pulled it over on Milwaukee Avenue north of Greggs Parkway near the Red Top Plaza in Libertyville.
“During the stop, proceeds from the theft were recovered and all vehicle occupants were identified,” Holubetz said.
Officers learned that Eugene Tillett, 47, of North Chicago, and two other passengers in the vehicle – Raven Sanders, 44, of Chicago; and Angela Merritt, 44, of North Chicago – each had active arrest warrants out of Lake County.
Court records show that Tillett had a warrant for retail theft charges from an incident that occurred in Vernon Hills in May 2024.
Tillett also allegedly failed to appear in court for a traffic case in Waukegan and has an active case for criminal trespass to vehicles in Waukegan.
Sanders had a warrant for retail theft and drug charges that occurred in Mundelein in November 2022.
Merritt had a warrant for failing to appear on drug charges that occurred in North Chicago in February 2024 and on retail theft charges in Gurnee in December 2023, court records show.
The trio was arrested and Tillett was charged with retail theft of merchandise valued at $300 or less, a Class A misdemeanor, for his alleged involvement in the August 12 Vernon Hills retail theft, Holubetz said.
The Libertyville Police Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Office assisted Vernon Hills Police with the traffic stop.
A Lake County sheriff’s canine was seen alerting to the passenger side of the vehicle.
Officers searching the vehicle recovered bottles of alcohol and clothing from Ross Dress For Less.
Tillett, Sanders and Merritt were transported to the Lake County Jail.
Tillett is scheduled to appear in court on September 19 for an arraignment.
Sanders is scheduled to appear on September 16 for an arraignment, and Merritt is scheduled to appear Thursday afternoon for an arraignment.