Florida Man Accused Of Stealing, Selling Merchandise In West Englewood

CHICAGO – A 27-year-old Florida man arrested in a spree of retail thefts around Chicago’s South Side was ordered detained by a judge Friday following a pretrial hearing, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office announced.

Brandon Kelly, of Jacksonville, Fla., is facing multiple felonies including aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, retail theft, and aggravated assault with a firearm.

Cook County investigators received a tip last month that Kelly was allegedly selling stolen merchandise in the 6300 block of South Ashland Avenue in Chicago’s West Englewood neighborhood.

Investigators from the Cook County Organized Retail Crime Taskforce set up a targets retail theft sting that led to Kelly’s arrest, sheriff’s police said. Kelly was said to have gone to various businesses where he stole merchandise and was later seen selling what he stole in West Englewood.

Kelly is also alleged to have pulled a gun from his waistband and threaten a store clerk. Investigators found and arrested Kelly in the 6200 block of South Ashland. Investigators said found Kelly with a loaded handgun and recovered nearly $10,000 worth of stolen merchandise.

It was also learned that Kelly had an active Cook County arrest warrant for shoplifting and numerous prior arrests in Illinois, Florida, and California for retail theft, burglary, domestic violence, and being in violation of an order of protection, sheriff’s police said.

Kelly was charged with multiple felonies on Friday, including Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Retail Theft, and Aggravated Assault with a Firearm.

He appeared for his initial hearing Friday at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse where a judge ordered him detained at the Cook County Jail. Kelly’s next court hearing is scheduled for Jan. 14.