Man Arrested For Stealing Cigarettes, Armed Robbery

SHIELDS TOWNSHIP, IL — The Lake County Sheriff's Office said a man has been arrested as the result of an investigation into a Dec. 5 armed robbery at a Shields County gas station in the 28700 block of North Waukegan Road. The sheriff's office said detectives coordinated with local police departments and the Lake County Sheriff's Correctional Officers to identify the offender as 32-year-old Gil Orlando Melendez, of the 600 block of County Street, Waukegan.

The gas station clerk said a man came into the gas station early Wednesday morning and tried to buy cigarettes and alcohol 45 minutes earlier, the sheriff's office said. When his credit card ended up being declined he threatened the clerk and pulled a gun from his waistband, telling the clerk to give him the cigarettes before taking them and leaving, according to officials.

In addition to the Dec. 5 armed robbery, detectives also identified Melendez as being the offender in a Nov. 24 retail theft where he also stole cigarettes from a gas station in the 39100 block of North Route 41 in Wadswoth, according to the sheriff's office.

The sheriff's office said detectives got an arrest warrant for aggravated robbery and theft, arresting Melendez in front of a residence on 10th Street in North Chicago by North Chicago Police Department.

Melendez is appearing in court Thursday morning, Dec. 6 and is being held in the Lake County Jail on $150,000 bail.

Images via Lake County Sheriff's Office