Off-Duty Detective Foils Frankfort Township Robbery: Sheriff

FRANKFORT, IL — Two men have been charged after officials believe a robbery attempt was thwarted by an off-duty police officer on Sunday in Frankfort Township, according to the Will County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's officer was coming home with his family on Sunday morning, and saw two men wearing masks and hoods approaching his neighbor, who was getting groceries out of his car, the sheriff's office said.

"It appeared to the detective that the neighbor was about to be robbed," the sheriff's office said in a news release. Not wanting to get his family members involved in a confrontation, police said the off-duty detective honked his car horn to scare off the masked men, and the men fled in a silver sedan.

The off-duty detective contacted Will County Sheriff’s Office personnel and shared information about the incident, the sheriff's office said. As he was trying to get video evidence from his neighbor's house, officials say he saw the suspect vehicle drive through the area.

The off-duty officer followed the vehicle to a Speedway gas station at Harlem Avenue and Benton Drive in Frankfort Township, the sheriff's office said. Due to recent robberies at the same gas station, the officer suspected that the two suspects were going to commit a robbery.

Deputies with the Will County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the gas station in an attempt to investigate the suspicious behavior, the sheriff's office said. While attempting to investigate, officials said the suspects rammed the detective’s personal vehicle as they fled from the gas station parking lot.

The vehicle fled down Harlem Avenue and attempted to turn into Cook County on Route 30, when it hit a curb and became disabled, the sheriff's office said. The two suspects fled into a field on foot and were apprehended by deputies after a short foot pursuit.

Both suspects were carrying handguns as they ran, according to police. Two guns were recovered from the area where the suspects fled, the sheriff's office said.

Once taken into custody, both men refused to speak to detectives about the incident, the sheriff's office said. One suspect also refused to identify himself to detectives, and his identity had to be confirmed through fingerprint comparison.

The suspects were identified as Michael Smith, 21, of Chicago; and a 17-year juvenile from Chicago.

Smith was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, obstruction of justice and obstructing identification. Smith also had a valid arrest warrant out of Cook County for unlawful use of a weapon.

The juvenile, who police said was driving the car, was taken to the River Valley Justice Center and was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and was issued numerous traffic citations.

"This is yet another example of criminals from the City of Chicago or other jurisdictions in Cook County coming into Will County to commit crimes," Sheriff Mike Kelley said in a new release. "This incident is proactive police work at its finest, even when members of the sheriff’s office are off-duty. I want to thank Detective Shaun Moran for his quick thinking and action in tracking down these individuals that came into our community attempting to further their criminal ways. This was a good job done by all."