Chicago police officers caught a big break as they investigated the robbery of a Walgreens in the Gold Coast—the robber left his wallet behind.
Prosecutors filed robbery charges against Earis McGee, 24, on Friday, almost two months after he allegedly robbed the store at 1200 North Dearborn.
McGee waited in line as if he was going to make a purchase but suddenly jumped the counter and started collecting packs of cigarettes around 2:03 p.m. on January 25, Assistant State’s Attorney Victor Aberdeen said during McGee’s bond hearing.
He allegedly grabbed about $240 worth of smokes from the shelves and from an employee’s hand, then ran out the door. Unfortunately for him, though, he left his wallet behind, according to Aberdeen.
A Walgreens employee who opened the wallet saw McGee’s state ID and recognized him from “previous interactions,” Aberdeen said.
CPD officers caught up with McGee on Wednesday. Aberdeen said he has a pending retail theft case and two misdemeanor convictions in his background.
An assistant public defender told Judge Maryam Ahmad that McGee is a pharmacy technician at a local hospital and also works for the CTA’s cleaning contractor.
Ahmad decided that McGee could go home on electronic monitoring upon posting a $5,000 bail deposit.