Nearly 10 months after an early afternoon smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store in downtown Arlington Heights, the first suspect in the case has been arrested — and the investigation continues, with other would-be thieves also sought.
A 27-year-old Chicago man is the first to be charged in connection with the jewelry store heist where offenders wore masks and used hammers to steal jewelry, Arlington Heights police announced in a news release.
Cornell Martinez, of the 3500 block of South Rhodes Avenue, in Chicago, was charged Nov. 2 with armed robbery, a Class X felony. A Cook County judge ordered him held in jail for his alleged involvement in the Jan. 25 armed robbery of Persin and Robbin Jewelers, 24 S. Dunton Ave., according to Arlington Heights police Sergeant Mike Orlando.
The news release states that on Jan. 25, police responded to a call of an armed robbery in the downtown business district. Wearing masks and armed with hammers, police said the thieves smashed jewelry counters at Persin and Robbin jewelry store and several high-end pieces of jewelry were reported stolen.
“Responding Patrol Officers conducted a thorough preliminary investigation at the scene and gathered critical information which proved instrumental in developing facts pertinent to the case. The investigation was turned over to detectives in the Criminal Investigation Bureau,” authorities stated in the release.
Following a “comprehensive investigation,” leads developed and evidence gathered led to Martinez being identified as one of the alleged thieves.
No one was physically hurt during the robbery which allegedly occurred around 1:25 p.m., police said.
“This was the first arrest,” Orlando told Pioneer Press. “This investigation is still ongoing, but I can tell you there are co-conspirators.”
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.