Three people in court Wednesday were accused of selling merchandise stolen earlier in August from a Saint Laurent store that had been “completely looted” of $5 million worth of items, prosecutors said.
The merchandise — among 1,000 total items taken from the Gold Coast store — includes a $2,000 purse, an $800 pair of boots and sunglasses, Cook County prosecutors said. Each was allegedly sold by the defendants on online marketplaces to undercover officers who arrested them during the in-person transaction.
Rolond Alexander tried to sell a pair of boots he claimed he got from a “crackhead” after trading a bottle of liquor for them, Assistant State’s Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said. The boots had allegedly been looted Aug. 10 from Saint Laurent at 11 E. Walton.
The 24-year-old was arrested Monday in Chatham with a 9mm pistol with a laser-sight in his waistband after arranging on the OfferUp app to meet with undercover officers, Scaduto said. Alexander allegedly claimed the gun was the “crackhead’s” too, and would return it later.
Judge Arthur Willis ordered him held on $5,000 bail on gun and theft changes.
Two other people in court were arrested together Tuesday afternoon in North Center after both allegedly agreeing to sell items posted on Facebook Marketplace to undercover officers.
Shawn Davis, 20, admitted to looting Saint Laurent after detectives pointed out that he was wearing the same distinctive shirt he could be seen wearing in surveillance video of the incident, Scaduto said. He allegedly took a pair of sunglasses he later tried to sell to officers for $100.
Davis was ordered held on $1,000 bail on charges of theft, burglary and looting.
He was arrested in a CVS parking lot with Makhaila Young, a 19-year-old woman who was there to sell a Saint Laurent purse for $900, Scaduto said. Young also faces a gun charge because officers allegedly found a pistol with a defaced serial number on the floorboard next to the stolen bag, Scaduto said. She allegedly said the gun was hers but later denied it.
Young claimed she bought the purse for $200 from someone her boyfriend knew but denied participating in the Aug. 10 looting, Scaduto said. She allegedly claimed she was home with her family.
Willis ordered her held on a $3,000 bail on theft and gun charges.
