12-time convicted burglar charged with burglarizing Lakeview restaurant

A man who is on parole for his 12th burglary conviction was charged Tuesday with burglarizing a Boystown restaurant earlier this year.

On February 9, Ronald Roberson entered the rear door of Milt’s BBQ, 3341 North Broadway, took cash from the till, and then walked out with the entire cash register, prosecutors said. 

Ronald Roberson | IDOC

Detectives recently distributed surveillance images of the burglar to beat cops, and an officer who had previous contact with Roberson was able to identify him, according to allegations made in court Tuesday. 

Roberson was paroled in September 2019 after he served half of two concurrent 15-year sentences he received for a pair of burglaries in 2012, according to state records. At the time of the 2012 break-ins, he was on parole for a 2004 burglary that earned him a 14-year prison term. He previously went to prison for burglaries in 1997, 1995, 1992, 1990, 1986, 1983, 1981, and 1979, records show.

Despite his criminal history, the Illinois Department of Corrections did not ask Cook County authorities to hold Roberson for a parole violation. 

Cook County Judge David Navarro set his bail at $1,000.

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CWBChicago was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. Our coverage area has expanded since then to cover Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and other North Side Areas. But our mission remains unchanged: To provide original public safety reporting with better context and greater detail than mainstream media outlets. Our editorial email address is news@cwbchicago.com