A Chicago man was arrested Tuesday on charges he tried to hold up a delivery truck driver at a Jewel-Osco store in Naperville while armed with a 9mm semi-automatic rifle, police said.
The victim was unloading liquor and wine about 8:50 a.m. at the rear of the 1759 West Ogden Ave. store when the suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Frederick Holmon, approached, asked for his possessions and said, “It’s not worth your life,” a police report said.
Refusing to comply, the man instead ran toward a Jewel employee while yelling, “The guy’s got a gun,” the report said.
The suspect fled to the store’s parking lot and escaped in a Chevy Suburban, which took off eastbound on Aurora Avenue, police said. One witness took a photo of the SUV while another followed it and took a photo of the license plate, police said.
A Naperville police officer stopped the vehicle about five minutes later on River Road near Ogden Avenue.
Holman was identified by the victim and the Jewel employee and charged with felony counts of attempted armed robbery with a firearm and unlawful use of a firearm by a felon, police said.
Inside the SUV, police said they recovered the 9mm semi-automatic rifle, a 9mm extended magazine with 16 rounds and a .357 revolver loaded with six rounds.
Two people were with Holman when the SUV was stopped but it was not revealed if they were or will be charged.
Holman is being held in the DuPage County jail in lieu of $750,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 11.
“There is no place for crimes like this in ours or any community,” Interim Police Chief Jason Arres said in a news release. “Violent crimes involving illegal firearms are extremely dangerous. Thankfully this incident did not end up worse where somebody was hurt or killed.”