Elgin police search for man suspected in three robberies

(ELGIN) Elgin police believe the man who robbed a grocery at gunpoint on Wednesday is the same man who robbed two other stores earlier this summer in the northwest suburb.

Surveillance photo of a man suspected in at least three robberies in Elgin. / Elgin police photo

The most recent robbery happened about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday when a man robbed a grocery in the 200 block of Randall Road, according to statement from Elgin police.

The man brandished a black handgun and stole an undisclosed amount of money from a register before running from the store, police said.

The suspect is described as 6-foot-2 black man with a muscular build. Police have released surveillance photos of the crimes.

Police believe the same suspect robbed stores on June 3 and Aug. 2. During those robberies, the suspect implied he had a weapon but did not show one.

A witness to Wednesday’s robbery, Lela Olson of Crystal Lake, told the Elgin Courier-News she was checking out with her 10-month-old daughter in the stroller next to her when a man pulled a gun and began screaming.

The man did not have any covering over his face, Olson said, though there were at least 10 people in the checkout lanes and others in the store at the time, she said.

“As I was handing the shopping cart back to cashier, I turned around … someone was screaming.” Olson said.

She thought it was someone “having an insane argument with his girlfriend,” until she turned around and saw him waving a gun.

Olson said she considered running to the door, or ducking down, but instead froze in place.

“It happened really fast” she said. “He ran outside, his gun in his left hand as he ran out the door.”

Olson called 911 and waited in the store for officers to arrive, she said.

Anyone with information should call police at (847) 695-4195 or text 847411 and include ELGINPD in the beginning of the text.