PONTOON BEACH - A robbery attempt at the Phillips 66 gas station at Illinois Route 111 and 162 was thwarted after a bystander noticed suspicious activity early Thursday morning and some outstanding police work by Pontoon Beach officers.
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"A bystander notified our police department dispatch center about the activity," Pontoon Beach Police Chief Chris Modrusic said Thursday afternoon. "A car pulled out by Patterson Tire. The bystander then watched the occupants break into the gas station and provided live updates to the officers.
"One of the officers responded to one of the gas stations and the other to where the car was parked waiting for the burglars. Our officer boxed in one car. One was taken into custody without incident, another jumped over a large fence and ran away and is not in custody. Another guy came running out of the store and we will able to apprehend him. We also recovered three handguns."
Pontoon Beach Police also recovered evidence that linked the burglars to another gas station crime.
Illinois State Police Crime Scene investigators came to the scene to process evidence. The gas station is now open again as of 2 p.m. Thursday.
The suspect at large was wearing distinctive bright red tennis shoes with a white part on the bottom around the soles," Chief Modrusic said.
"The missing suspect was a thin black male, wearing all back and his face covered with a ski mask," the chief added.
Anyone with any information, please contact the Pontoon Beach Police Department at (618) 931-5100.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
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