CHICAGO — Federal authorities now say a violent group of armed men is responsible for many, many more liquor store and tavern robberies than previously believed. The announcement comes as the feds accuse a fifth man of being part of the holdup crew.
Last May, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago charged three men with committing a string of five liquor store robberies in Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and Wicker Park, including three on January 15, 2024: Ardaries Harris, 27, Jordan Fox, 25, and Roosevelt Veal, 27, were each charged with Hobbs Act robbery and using a gun to commit a violent crime. Officials redacted from court records the name of a fourth man they believe was part of the crew. They also blacked out his cause of death.
Now, officials say the crew is responsible for a whopping fifteen robberies, and they now accuse Harris’ brother, Xavier Harris, 26, of being part of the team, too. The crew fired shots from a machine gun during some of the holdups, federal prosecutors said.
In a criminal complaint filed against the first three defendants last year, an ATF agent said investigators used social media posts, phone location data, recorded jailhouse phone calls, and surveillance footage to identify the men.
The January 15 spree began around 8:40 p.m. at Mr. P Beverage Depot, 2006 West Division. Four men entered the store and displayed guns. Two emptied the cash drawers while the others pointed firearms at the employees, according to the complaint. One of the robbers punched one of the employees in the face and took his backpack. Police later found the backpack and some of the man’s property inside the crew’s abandoned getaway car.
Investigators identified Ardaries Harris in the video by matching his boots and a scar that remains on his hand from an old gunshot wound, the ATF agent said.
However, they also connected him to the crime through a phone call he received from a Cook County jail inmate, who called him “Freaky,” a nickname based on his rapping persona, “Hadiway Freaky,” according to the agent.
The police also matched audio from the store’s surveillance footage to Veal’s voice in a video posted to his Instagram account. They determined that Veal was the robber who said, “Where the drop money at?” “Don’t move,” “Where the f**k it’s at?” and “Open the drawer,” the agent claimed.
About 20 minutes after the first robbery, four masked robbers all pointed guns at a clerk at Before You Go Liquors, 1917 West Fullerton. They demanded cash from the register, and he complied. The agent said they also took his debit card and used it to withdraw $400 from the store’s ATM before fleeing.
Then, about 20 minutes after the second robbery, the crew robbed Clybourn Market, 2807 North Clybourn, in a similar manner.
The very next day, according to the ATF agent, all four robbers posed for an Instagram photo that showed each of them pointing at least one gun toward the camera. A second Instagram photo posted the same day allegedly showed Harris, Fox, and the deceased man holding “what appears to be large amounts of cash,” the agent wrote.
Now, federal prosecutors have charged the four surviving men with even more crimes, including the November 24, 2023, robbery of Super Savings Food, 4424 West Belmont. According to a Chicago police statement issued shortly after the holdup, a 46-year-old cashier was shot after two masked men walked in and tried to rob him around 10:24 p.m. The victim survived. CPD linked the crime to a string of street robberies the same night.
The group is also accused of robbing the Irish Nobleman Pub, 1367 West Erie, on May 4, 2024. Three robbers entered the bar as several patrons prepared to leave shortly before closing time. The crew pulled out guns and demanded money from the victims, police said at the time.
Two of the victims tried to run away, prompting one of the robbers to shoot at them, police said. The robbers took valuables from individuals and cash from the register before fleeing.
A video of the robbery was posted on Twitter:
While @DanielLaSpata obsesses over renaming streets, bike lanes, and outdoor dining, he shrugs at armed robberies in his 1st Ward.
— Chicago Contrarian (@ChicagoContrar1) May 4, 2024
The Irish Nobleman Pub was hit by armed thugs early this morning.
Fortunately, no bike lanes were blocked as the thugs made their escape. pic.twitter.com/YYTNsAJNmX
On May 9, 2024, they allegedly engaged a store owner in a shootout at Basil Food & Liquor, 7446 North Western Avenue. Shortly after 11 p.m., three men wearing all black clothing entered the West Rogers Park store, and one of the robbers fired a shot at the store’s clerk. The worker returned fire, but no injuries were reported.
The crew is also accused of robbing Ace’s Liquor and Tap, 4441 West Armitage, on August 24, 2023; A&R Food Mart, 5952 West Grand, on January 10, 2024; Central Extra Value Food and Liquor, 2914 North Central, on January 11, 2024; Buchanas Food & Liquor, 1834 West 47th Street, on January 13 and May 7, 2024; Humboldt Haus Liquor, 2958 West North Avenue, on May 3, 2024; Gladstone Food Mart, 5789 North Milwaukee, on May 3, 2024; El Trebol Liquors and Bar, 1135 West 18th Street, on May 7, 2024; and Community Food and Liquor, 5530 North Milwaukee, on May 7, 2024
Ardaries Harris, Fox, and Veal face a minimum of 30 years in prison, if convicted. Xavier Harris faces at least 21 years. All four could be given life terms.
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