Bank robbery at Gurnee Mills

Banks have grown beyond the typical commercial building people would normally go to cash or deposit a check and now operate inside grocery stores, retail outlets and gas station teller machines.

Gurnee Mills, a large mall located north of Chicago, has an internal bank for all stores conducting business for security and efficiency purposes.

It all changed when a person presumed to have knowledge of inside operations robbed the Chase Bank at the mall and made out with cash and checks.

Gurnee Mills heist may have been inside job

December 13, 2006

By Jason Arndt

The News-Sun

GURNEE - Despite Monday's bank robbery at Chase Bank, Gurnee Mills security personnel remain tight-lipped about security measures. The mall appeared to be business as usual Tuesday after two men dressed in black sweatshirts, pants, masks and gloves brandishing handguns robbed mall employees of cash and receipts Monday shortly before 10 a.m. The assailants were walking up and down the line of employees waiting to deposit receipts and cash, robbing them at gunpoint.

Chase Bank holds the deposits from all the Gurnee Mills stores and is hidden from the general public in a tunnel near the Entry F entrance of the mall.

The two robbers were able to escape into the Entry F internal exit, where, according to police reports, entered an awaiting newer model Chevy Malibu driven by an accomplice.

The exit door is within 10 feet of the bank entrance, making it a possibility it may have been an inside operation.

"It would appear that the individuals involved had knowledge of the daily operations of the bank," Gurnee Police Cmdr. Jay Patrick said Tuesday.

Monday's holdup brings the total of robberies in the county to 10 this year and the second in the month of December. The previous incident occurred at a Waukegan TCF Bank on Dec. 4. Lake County had eight total bank robberies in 2005.

The robbery also adds to the number of Chicago metropolitan area bank robberies, currently at 278, a yearly record, according to Chicago FBI spokesman Frank Bochte. The previous record was held last year with 240 robberies in the Chicago region.

The FBI does not tell banks how to conduct security measures, but does offer suggestions.

Bochte said most banks utilize their own security systems based on the crime rates in surrounding neighborhoods.

"We suggest an investment in a high-quality camera system in order to receive high-quality images to make it easier to apprehend individuals," Bochte said.

The Chicago FBI has been able to solve an average of 75 percent of all bank robberies in the region.

Due to the discrete location of the bank, several shoppers and store employees working at the time of the incident may not have been aware of the robbery.

"I do not know much about what happened (Monday), so I can not comment on it," said Auntie Anne's employee Jose Hernandez. "I feel fine (every time I make a deposit). I feel good coming in here and I never find any problems."

Hernandez added he never noticed any security problems prior to Monday's incident.

Supervisor Robin Nelson of Liz Claiborne is taking a more vigilant approach to the situation by having an additional employee accompany her to make the daily deposits.

The supervisor decided to go against company protocol in adding an additional employee. She added the store manager did not brief her prior to making the deposit.

Several employees interviewed at the mall Tuesday were either not aware of the robbery Monday or may have been given vague information.

Chase Bank employees declined to comment and referred questions to its corporate offices in Louisville, Ky.

Ton Rinka, the mall's general manager, declined to comment on the matter noting the "mall does not discuss security measures with individuals from outside the mall."

Patrick said he was not aware of what security measures the mall took in the wake of the robbery.

The two stores robbed were Fuzzy Navel, a mall kiosk business, and LVL X, a denim merchandise store.

Patrick indicated the information regarding the two robbers were "vague" and there is "not a lot of leads to go on at this point."

Gurnee police are asking people who may know about the robbery to contact them at (847) 599-7000 or Lake County CrimeStoppers at (847) 662-2222.

Trip to Illinois state capitol - Court appearance

Commuting from Racine to Waukegan everyday was a long haul, but adding nearly five more hours to the mix was a journey - and enjoyed the quiet drive to Springfield in the wee hours of the morning for a court appearance of a public official.

Departed Racine at 1:00 a.m. and made it to the Sangamon County Courthouse in Illinois by 9:00 a.m. (stopped to rest three times) for the court appearance of North Chicago School Superintendent Sandra Ellis - accused of shoplifting nearly 500 dollars worth of goods from a Wal-Mart.

The story was handed to me by an outgoing retiring reporter from the Waukegan newsroom and briefed me on all the case details and offered suggested routes along the Interstate, which Springfield was a lot further than I imagined, knew a lot of miles were driven given all the "To St. Louis" signs along the way.

When I arrived for security checkpoint and took my seat in the courtroom, the appearance by the superintendent lasted five minutes. And there it was, 9:15 a.m. and my work in Springfield was already finished.

Phoned my news editor by phone and gave him the basic info and would be returning to the Waukegan newsroom in the afternoon to file a story.

As I sat to type out the story, the news editor came out of his office and said:
"We are going to call you time-traveler from now on."

Superintendent trial continued

November 14, 2006

By Jason Arndt

The News-Sun

SPRINGFIELD - North Chicago Schools Superintendent Sandra Ellis' trial was continued again Monday due to the high volume of jury trials in Sangamon County Judge John Belz's courtroom. Ellis is accused of felony shoplifting in connection with an incident July 17, 2005, at a Springfield Wal-Mart. The superintendent is accused of shoplifting $445 in food and liquor.

"We were set for trial today, it got continued on a motion of the defense and the judge agreed," said Sangamon County Prosecutor Gabe Grosball. "The judge had other jury trials today, so he didn't have time to try this case, so that is why the case has been continued to January."

The January court date for Ellis could result in either a trial or plea agreement.

"Between now and January, we will negotiate. I will make an offer and if they take it, it will happen sometime during that week," Grosball said.

The prosecutor added if the defense chooses not to receive the offer, it will become a jury trial.

Despite three continuances, Grosball said, the motions are normal in most court cases, noting that some cases take up to two years to get resolved.

The maximum penalty for felony retail theft is three years in prison and a $2,500 fine, but due to Ellis not having a prior criminal record, there is a chance of probation or some small fines.

Ellis was not charged with shoplifting until six months after the alleged incident took place due to the priorities of the Sangamon County court system, according to Grosball.

"Retail theft cases take longer to file due to possibilities of restitution, but Wal-Mart received all of its property back," Grosball said. "Since Ellis is not in custody, we tend to prioritize more violent crimes such as murders, rapes and other types before retail thefts."

Grosball added that the next scheduled court appearance could be continued if suspects are in custody because judges typically favor trying individuals in police custody over someone who is out on bond.

Ellis should not expect preferential treatment by the judge or prosecutor because of her position as a school superintendent, Grosball said.

"That is not going to cause us to treat this any different if it was (somebody) off the street," Grosball said. "Her position is not going to make me decide whether or not to try this case or to make a certain plea offer."

Ellis has a long history of in public service, most notably as a member of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's Terrorism Task Force.

Belz will determine the January court date at a future time.

Background information...

Schools chief charged

February 25, 2006

By Ralph Zahorik

The News-Sun

NORTH CHICAGO -- New schools Superintendent Sandra Ellis was charged this week with felony shoplifting by the Sangamon County state's attorney's office. 

Ellis was accused of attempting to take $445 in food and liquor from a Springfield Wal-Mart store last July 17 without paying for the items. Ellis said the accusation is false and that she never tried to take the items without paying for them. It isn't clear why there was a six-month delay in filing the charge.

Ellis, in a Jan. 31 interview, before she was formally charged, said the arrest was "a mistake" and that she was innocent. She attributed the episode to an overzealous, inexperienced Wal-Mart clerk. "It was mortifying," she said.

According to an account published July 18 in the Springfield State Journal Register based on a police report, police were called to the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Dirksen Parkway the day before, a Sunday, to investigate a shoplifting complaint.

A store employee accused Ellis, who lived in nearby Mount Pulaski, Ill., of attempting to go through a check-out line with $445 worth of unpaid groceries and alcohol in tied "recycle bags," a possible felony theft, the account said.

Ellis said the bags were "silver" freezer bags.

The newspaper said Ellis was taken to Sangamon County Jail.

Copies of the newspaper story have been circulating in North Chicago since Ellis was hired last month.

She is scheduled to appear March 1 in Sangamon County Circuit Court in Springfield, said Jennifer Kuntz, a Sangamon County assistant state's attorney. The offense Ellis is accused of is a Class 3 felony and, if convicted, she could be sentenced to probation or she could be sentenced up to five years in state prison, Kuntz said.

Ellis has no history of prior offenses in Sangamon County, she said.

At the time of her arrest, Ellis was working for the Governor's Illinois Terrorism Task Force. She was a UniServ director -- a union field representative -- in Decatur schools for the Illinois Education Association until March 2005.

When Ellis was appointed Dec. 14, the School Board provided a one-paragraph general statement on the new superintendent with no specifics on her employment history, her education or other credentials.

Information on her professional background was provided later.

Ellis, a native of Toledo, Ohio, has a doctorate in education administration from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and bachelor's and master's degrees from Bowling Green University in Bowling Green, Ohio.

She was superintendent of several downstate school districts before she went to work for the IEA. They included the Brooklyn Unit District near East St. Louis, the Mount Pulaski Unit District near Springfield, the Gillespie Unit District near Litchfield and the Astoria Unit District in Fulton County.

Ellis lives in both North Chicago and Mount Pulaski. She has a rented apartment in North Chicago and maintains a home in Mount Pulaski with her husband, Ron Ellis, a retired Illinois state police office.

School Security

Safety of our children and how authorities handle issues within schools has always been a concern since the day of Columbine in Colorado and one law enforcement agency established a plan of action.

While some issues continue to persist within school districts across the United States, not every fight or melee can be prevented. When a safety concern is raised, communities want to see action done by their police department to minimize further issues.

Mundelein had it's hands full and swiftly responded to disruptions of education and implemented an action plan in event of a mass shooting.

I was witness to a tactical training situation conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies at Mechanics Grove Elementary School in Mundelein which included the sounding of alarms and community members acting as victims to prepare and improve plans for the future.

Police have plan if schools come under seige

October 21, 2006

By Jason Arndt

The News-Sun

MUNDELEIN - Mechanics Grove Elementary School went under siege with three masked gunmen as part of a training exercise conducted by the Mundelein Police Department on Friday. At 9 a.m. three armed gunmen started firing blank shells inside the school. 

Subsequently, the fire alarm started blaring throughout the school and the classrooms were locked down. The three fake gunmen were apprehended at 11:30 a.m. A total of six police agencies worked together with school officials to better communicate school crisis situations.

Mundelein Police Chief Raymond Rose invited law enforcement officials from Libertyville, Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove, Lincolnshire and the Lake County Sheriff's Office to participate in the school crisis training session.

Within minutes, the six agencies responded in teams to search the building for gunmen who were undercover police officers from various agencies acting as the perpetrators.

According to Mundelein Deputy Chief of Support Services Michael O'Brien, up to 60 law enforcement officials teamed up to practice at the elementary school.

"This is our fourth drill we have had, but we have gone to other towns and assisted with their drill," O'Brien said. "Everybody likes to have their own drill. We work so closely with our surrounding departments, we will send off some of our (personnel) to their drills and they will send off some of their (personnel) to our drills."

The exercise has been conducted at other Mundelein schools to familiarize officers with the layout of the school.

Rose said the outside law enforcement agencies are essential because they could be first responders in the time of a catastrophe at any Lake County school.

According to a report by the Christian Science Monitor, shootings are becoming more diverse. What started as an urban problem has spread to rural areas, including a plot at a high school in Green Bay, Wis., involving three teenagers.

"We never thought it would happen here," said Rose, echoing what Green Bay citizens said in the aftermath of the foiled plot.

O'Brien agrees with Rose on the importance of a plan.

"Everyone always says its not going to happen here, well that is reason we employ these tactics. These tactics and approaches can be used in any building and not just in schools," O'Brien said.

Due to school not in session Friday, several teachers volunteered to assist in the exercise.

Mechanics Grove second-grade teacher Kelly Dolan learned more about preventive measures.

"We do have lockdown procedures in our (classrooms), and it also lets us know of standard operating procedures," Dolan said. "Today, some of them were used and some of them we knew we had to change based on the scenario but it was at least a starting point about what we needed to do."

About 40 people from the community also volunteered in addition to school administrators and faculty.

"I was very excited to see the support we had from (Chief Rose) six months ago, helping us to understand why it is important for us to drill," District 75 Superintendent Cynthia Heidorn said.

"From our teachers to volunteer to be a part of this because they want to know how to keep their students safe and what to do in these situations."

In addition, Heidorn said she would always have full support of Mundelein officials due to its strong relationship with the area school districts.

19 Mundelein High students arrested for fighting

December 7, 2006

By Jason Arndt

The News-Sun

MUNDELEIN - Fights outside Mundelein High School over two days have resulted in the arrests of 19 students. On Monday, a fight occurred shortly after school when students congregated at the bus stop and a rival gang member allegedly said something which offended another student. 

"These are just rival groups of kids that don't like each other," said Mundelein Police Deputy Chief Michael O'Brien. "They call themselves gang members." The first incident resulted in three arrests.

Justino Bailon, 19, of Palatine will be tried as an adult with a misdemeanor. The other two were identified as 15- and 16-year old boys.

"(Bailon) lives in Palatine, but (Mundelein) allowed him to finish the school year because his family just moved to Palatine midway through the year," O'Brien said.

O'Brien added when school officials broke up the Monday fight, the remaining participants fled the scene.

"We have one full-time officer that is their school resource manager," O'Brien said. The officer, along with school personnel, reviewed surveillance tapes and were able to identify the students who fled the scene Monday.

Tensions ran high early Tuesday morning when eight students surrounded a smaller group of one or two.

Two of the eight students involved were charged Tuesday with the mob action. They were identified as Eduardo Castro, 18, and 17-year-old Angela Rivera.

Mundelein Police have had a history with the individuals involved in the incident.

"Everybody that was arrested as adults and juveniles were known to our police department because of their prior records," O'Brien said.

There were no injuries stemming from the two fights and police confirmed none of the students had any weapons in their possession at the time of the arrests.

School officials are still reviewing the incident, but all students involved were suspended immediately.

"Anybody that is caught fighting faces an automatic suspension," O'Brien said. "We work closely with Mundelein High School. We have a zero-tolerance policy no matter if they are part of a gang or not."

O'Brien said police are still investigating the incident, but asserted the fight was not planned.

The juveniles charged were transported to Depke Juvenile Detention Center in Vernon Hills.

Eight students involved in melees booted

December 14, 2006

By Jason Arndt

The News-Sun

MUNDELEIN - Mundelein High School officials expelled eight of the 19 students involved in gang violence at the school last week after a closed School Board session Tuesday night. 

"No one likes to expel people from school, but there comes a time when it needs to be done," said Interim Superintendent John Barbini. School officials held hearings with the involved students and their parents Friday night to discuss the Nov. 4 and 5 incidents.

Following the Nov. 4 incident, which occurred after school near a bus stop, the school's police liaison officer reviewed surveillance tapes with school officials to identify students who fled the scene.

Three students were apprehended during the initial incident.

"The services of Mundelein police have been outstanding, and they have been very cooperative in this situation," Barbini said.

The expelled students also have been involved in gang incidents in the school, Barbini said.

The eight students had to sign gang contracts with the school and had to agree to be watched more closely by administrative staff.

The district has offered the expelled students educational alternatives. They will be transferred to the Lake County Regional Office of Education Alternative School in Zion.

Three of the 19 students involved were charged as adults, but Barbini would not indicate if Justin Bailon, Eduardo Castro or Angela Rivera were among the expelled students.

The remaining 11 students will be allowed to continue their education at Mundelein High, but will be subjected to a series of disciplinary actions by administration.

In addition to the eight involved in the gang confrontation, the district also expelled a student involved in an unrelated incident.

According to Barbini, the ninth student was involved in a physical altercation with a school administrator.

"We want to send the message that Mundelein High School is a safe place to learn and work," Barbini said.