Fifth Crash-And-Grab Suspect Nabbed During Traffic Stop
(CBS/STMW) -- A fifth suspect has been charged in connection with a two-year crime spree that netted more than $2 million in stolen merchandise from tony stores across Chicago.
Damarco Darring, 22, faces felony counts of burglary and theft, misdemeanor counts of possession of cannabis and driving on a suspended license, and four traffic citations, according to a statement issued Wednesday by Chicago Police.
He was taken into custody about 7:45 p.m. Monday during a traffic stop in the 8600 block of South Morgan, police said. The officers realized he was wanted in connection with a burglary from 2014, and he was arrested.
Darring, of the 3500 block of South Rhodes, was scheduled to appear in bond court Thursday.
The burglaries started with gang members using crowbars to smash the windows of stores on tony North Michigan Avenue and elsewhere in the city.
But when businesses boosted their security on the advice of the police, the burglars crashed stolen cars through their doors. The thieves would seize all the loot they could carry and flee in minutes, police say.
The five men charged and other suspects allegedly stole more than $2 million in merchandise and caused more than $500,000 in damage to businesses in Chicago, the suburbs and other cities in the Midwest, police said.
Members of the Gangster Disciples street gang were responsible for the burglaries, authorities said. They gravitated from dealing drugs and ripping off train cars to so-called crash-and-grabs, police said.
Police Cmdr. Eugene Roy said more than 40 heists have been attributed to the crew. The crash-and-grab incidents began in early 2014 and usually involved suspects wearing masks and gloves to obscure their identities.
But police obtained key forensic evidence from the Neiman Marcus at 737 N. Michigan after a stolen van crashed into the store on Dec. 10 and thieves made off with luxury goods, Roy said. He wouldn't provide details on what kind of evidence was recovered.
Police have been unable to recover most of the items stolen in the burglaries, Roy said. The crew was selling the goods for discounts of more than 50 percent, he said.
The other four charged in the string of high-profile burglaries include Kenneth C. Greene, 23, of the 5600 block of South Emerald; Hershel Phillips, 18, of the 5800 block of South Peoria; and Jawon Sellers, 24, and Tommie Adams, 22, both of the 10100 block of South LaSalle.
Greene and Phillips both appeared in court Tuesday and were each ordered held on a $250,000 bond, according to the Cook County state's attorney's office. Sellers appeared in court Sunday and was ordered held on a $150,000 bond. Adams was in court Monday and was ordered held on a $25,000 bond with electronic monitoring.
Warrants have been issued for other suspects, police said.
Other crash-and-grabs attributed to the crew include the Sept. 15 burglary of a Moncler boutique at 33 East Oak Street in the Gold Coast and the Nov. 26 burglary of a Cisco Nyc store in the 4000 block of West Madison, police said.
Asked why the crew allegedly gravitated to targeting stores, Roy said: "Doing burglaries is a lot easier than standing out on the corner selling drugs 12 hours a day."
But CBS 2 security consultant Ross Rice says it doesn't necessarily mean gangs throughout the city are changing their business model.
"I don't think this that is going to be a full time endeavor for the gangs," Ross said. "I don't think we're going to see them shift away from their traditional source of revenue, which is selling drugs."
But CBS 2 security consultant Ross Rice says it doesn't necessarily mean gangs throughout the city are changing their business model.
"I don't think this that is going to be a full time endeavor for the gangs," Ross said. "I don't think we're going to see them shift away from their traditional source of revenue, which is selling drugs."
At J-Bees, despite steps to protect the store they're still on guard against burglars.
"They still do the foolish stuff, they don't care," the manager said. "They don't care somebody got arrested."
J-Bee's manager tells us there have been several other less destructive burglary attempts. When asked why they stay on the West Side, he replied: "How else am I going to feed my family. And I have employees."
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2015. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
