Knifepoint Robbery Of Glenview Antique Shop Last July Leads To Arrest

SKOKIE, IL — A Chicago man wanted in connection with the armed robbery of a Glenview jewelry store last year was arrested when he showed up to court on a separate charge related to narcotics trafficking allegations.

Walter Smith, 53, of the 7500 block of South Saginaw Avenue, was taken into custody Wednesday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, 2650 S. California Ave., on an armed robbery warrant stemming from a July 14, 2022, incident at Antiques by GK, 1705 Glenview Road.

According to police and prosecutors, Smith came into the antiques store shortly after it opened wearing a COVID-style mask and pretended he had a bracelet he wanted to sell.

At one point, both store staffers were in the back room, leaving Smith alone on the sales floor, said Assistant State's Attorney Alexandra O'Hehir, citing surveillance footage.

Smith then dons a ski mask and pulls out a knife before forcing both employees into the back office, holding the blade to the throats of a shop employee, the prosecutor said.

"[Smith] threatened to kill [the employee] if she did not do as he said," O'Hehir said. "[Smith] ordered [the employee] and [her boss] to lay down on the floor."

The knife-wielding robber tied up both women before demanding access to the safe, which was already open, the prosecutor said.

After filling a bag with jewelry from the safe, O'Hehir said footage shows Smith then tried and failed to open display cases.

"[Smith] returned to the back office and ordered [the manager] to assist him in opening the display case, [she] complied," the prosecutor said.

Once it was open, Smith was seen on camera touching the glass of the case with his ungloved hands. Fingerprints found on the casing were later linked to him, authorities said.

While Smith was taking items from the display cases, the shop's other employee had partially freed herself and was trying to get to her phone to call the cops. But Smith returned and forced both his captives into the back office, where they managed to lock themselves inside and call the police, according to O'Hehir.

Smith dropped some items as he fled, and encountered another shop worker just as she was arriving, making some kind of comment to them.

According to the prosecutor, some of the items stolen from the shop were later discovered at area pawn shops, where Smith had allegedly used his own driver's license to sell them. Others had been melted down before the owner could identify them.

Smith has an extensive criminal history dating back to the 1980s, according to the prosecutor. He has 1996 conviction for two separate armed robberies followed by a 2005 conviction for cocaine possession that led to a 29 year prison sentence due to prior criminal history. At the time of his arrest, he was out on bond facing pending charges of manufacturing and dealing of heroin and cannabis.

Shortly after his arrest last week, Smith was taken to St. Anthony's Hospital for medical treatment. Following a bond hearing Thursday, he was ordered held in lieu of the $30,000 cash portion of his bond. He is due back in court for a bond review hearing on Sept. 21.

Earlier: Armed Robber Steals Jewelry, Ties Up Employees In Glenview, Police Say