Man sentenced to 30 years for 2009 armed robberies of Loves Park cash stores
Posted By Brandon Reid On October 5, 2011 @ 11:46 am In Happening Now, Local News | 1 Comment
Online Staff Report
Phillip Merritt, 59, was sentenced Oct. 3 to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offense of armed robbery.
Merritt was found guilty of the offense March 16 after a jury trial in front of Judge Joseph G. McGraw.
Sept. 26, 2009, an individual, later identified as Merritt, walked into the Title Cash Store at 1728 Riverside Blvd. in Loves Park and asked the clerk about obtaining a loan. As the clerk started to explain the procedure to him, Merritt pulled a gun from his waistband and asked the clerk where the money was. The clerk gave Merritt $190 in cash from the desk drawer. Minutes later, Loves Park Police observed a vehicle westbound on Riverside Boulevard that matched the description of a vehicle that was involved in another robbery the day before at the Cash Loan Store at 5919 N. Second St. in Loves Park. The police pursued that vehicle, and the driver fled, ultimately crashing into a house at the corner of Clifford Avenue and East Drive.
After the crash, Merritt fled from the vehicle on foot. As he was running, he pulled an item from his waistband and threw it over a fence. After Merritt was apprehended, police located the item that he threw over the fence and saw that it was a BB gun, though it had the distinct appearance of a real firearm.
In Merritt’s vehicle, police located a blue bank bag marked “Title Cash Riverside.” Merritt also had $182 on his person. Another $10 was located in the path that Merritt ran after exiting his vehicle.
Armed robbery is a class X felony with a sentencing range of six to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. However, Merritt was eligible for an extended term of up to 60 years based on his prior record.
Article printed from The Rock River Times: http://rockrivertimes.com
URL to article: http://rockrivertimes.com/2011/10/05/man-sentenced-to-30-years-for-2009-armed-robberies-of-loves-park-cash-stores/
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