Trio Charged With Armed Robbery, Teen Pointed Gun At Customer: NLPD

NEW LENOX, IL — Two teens and an adult man have been charged with armed robbery after New Lenox police said they stole alcohol from a grocery store and flashed a handgun at a customer.

Saturday at approximately 6:10 a.m., New Lenox police were called to Jewel-Osco, 475 Nelson Road, for a report that three men had stolen alcohol from the store. Witnesses said as the trio fled, one pointed a handgun at a customer.

They were then seen on bicycles fleeing toward Old Plank Trail. Police chased and found them on the trail, and the suspects ditched their bicycles and fled on foot toward Providence Catholic High School, police said. All three were found and taken into custody. Two of them are teenaged juveniles.

On Old Plank Trail, police found the loaded 9mm handgun used in this incident, along with a high capacity drum magazine, the stolen alcohol, and the suspects' bicycles. The three were positively identified by a witness.

All three subjects are charged with armed robbery, burglary, retail theft, and criminal damage to property for damage they cause to a locked door as they were attempting to exit the store. One of the teens who reportedly pointed the loaded gun at a customer is also charged with unlawful use of a weapon, armed violence and aggravated assault.

The adult suspect, identified as 20-year-old Oscar Leon-Baizan, of the 100 block of Adella Avenue in Joliet was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

"Due to the quick response of the responding officers, these armed, violent offenders were quickly taken into custody without further incident and thankfully without anyone being hurt," said New Lenox Police Chief Louis Alessandrini.

Leon-Baizan was transferred to the Will County Adult Detention Facility, while both juveniles will be detained at River Valley Juvenile Detention Center, police said.