A judge ordered a suspect detained until trial after he admitted to police that he sometimes “does stupid things” when drunk after prosecutors say he fired shots during a burglary in Lake Zurich, leading to a SWAT standoff.
The Lake Zurich Police Department responded around 2:18 a.m. Saturday to the Casey’s Convenience Store, 650 South Rand Road in Lake Zurich, for a burglar alarm.
Officers arrived and found the front door to the gas station store was broken, according to Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Michael Theis.
A keyholder for Casey’s arrived and officers were able to review surveillance footage.
Theis said a male white, approximately 40-50 years old, with a goatee, was seen wearing a black hat, black jacket and glasses while armed with a gun.
The suspect, later identified as Merrick A. Pollack, 47, of Lake Zurich, was seen on video firing two shots into the front door of the store, Theis said.
No one was working as the business was closed. Pollack used his foot to clear more glass away before crawling through the window, Theis said.
Officers could clearly see the gun in the surveillance video as Pollack climbed through the door, Theis said.
Pollack allegedly stole 14 packs of cigarettes, valued at over $160, and fled the business.
A spent shell casing from a Sig .380 was located on the ground near the door and a Sig .380 live round was also at the scene.
Numerous other thefts involving cigarettes were reported in Lake Zurich and videos from those thefts showed the same suspect.
Officers went to Pollack’s home and spoke to the landlord, who confirmed Pollack was the suspect seen in the surveillance video, Theis said. The landlord said Pollack was two months behind on rent.
Lake Zurich Deputy Police Chief Colin Gaffney said officers obtained a warrant and went to the home in the 200 block of Whitney Road in Lake Zurich around 11 a.m. Saturday.
The Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS) Emergency Services Team (EST) was activated to respond due to Pollack being armed and barricaded, Gaffney said.
The activation prompted a heavy police and SWAT response that converged on the area.
Surrounding residents were evacuated amid the active situation. The Lake Zurich Fire Rescue Department was also placed on standby and staged nearby.
Pollack was inside his mobile home in the South Shore Village subdivision and an hours-long standoff ensued, Gaffney said.
“We are asking the public to avoid the area while the investigation continues,” the village said in a statement.
The Elgin Police Department’s SWAT team also responded to the scene to assist NIPAS EST.
Gaffney said NIPAS spent several hours negotiating with Pollack before taking him into custody without further incident just before 5 p.m.
SWAT teams appeared to have forced entry to the residence to arrest Pollack. Bystanders heard loud bangs from the scene.
A search of the residence led to the recovery of three firearms, including a Glock 23 that was loaded and a Rock River rifle that was also loaded, Theis said.
A Glock 19, which was loaded, was also found and was inside a brace that turned it into a rifle, Theis said. At least 35 boxes of various types of ammunition were recovered.
Pollack was interviewed and told investigators that when he is “drunk he does stupid things,” Theis said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and approved the charges of armed violence, a Class X felony; three counts of aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon, a Class 4 felony; and burglary, a Class 2 felony.
The burglary occurred approximately a quarter-mile to the south of where the police standoff happened.
Pollack was transported to a hospital with minor injuries in the custody of the Lake Zurich Police Department, Gaffney said. He was released and transported to First Appearance Court on Tuesday morning.
The state’s attorney’s office filed a petition to detain Pollack pending trial, arguing he poses a danger to the community.
“This defendant does not have a significant criminal history but he took a firearm and used it to shoot out the front door of a business so he could steal cigarettes. There is no greater risk than reckless abandon that this defendant showed in firing a gun into a store,” Theis said.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition to hold Pollack during a detention hearing on Wednesday afternoon.
One of Pollack’s neighbors told Lake and McHenry County Scanner that he began living in the subdivision around March 2025.
The neighbor heard police using loudspeakers to order Pollack to surrender.
The neighbor did not recall seeing police activity at Pollack’s mobile home before Saturday.
Pollack remains held in the Lake County Jail and is scheduled to appear in court again on February 11 for a preliminary hearing.