$600K bond set for Rockford man after Sycamore Walgreens armed robbery

SYCAMORE – A DeKalb County judge set bond at $600,000 on Saturday for the one adult charged in connection with the early Friday armed robbery at Walgreens on DeKalb Avenue.

Mikevion C. Ingram, 18, of the 100 block of Flintride Drive in Rockford, was arrested and charged with armed robbery, a Class X felony, and attempted armed robbery, a Class 1 felony. If convicted of the more serious Class X felony, Ingram could face up to 30 years in prison.

According to DeKalb County court documents, Sycamore police responded to a 6:30 a.m. call about an armed robbery at Walgreens, 1340 DeKalb Ave. Officers encountered three Black males carrying and displaying handguns and were able to catch two of them after all three men fled in different directions.

“Another 911 call came in from the Country Inn and Suites, 1450 S. Peace Road in Sycamore, stating they were being robbed,” court documents state.

Police allege Ingram pointed a gun at a hotel employee, who was smoking outside, demanding that she give him her keys and to be taken to her manager. Ingram also pointed a gun at another employee and demanded that she give him her keys, police claim.

“Finally, the manager ... exited her office, whereupon Ingram pointed the handgun at her and demanded her keys,” court documents state. “[The manager] said she did not have any keys. Shortly after this, Ingram fled.”

Officers later arrested Ingram, who was wearing a black mask and hood and black rubber gloves, according to court documents. Ingram was found in the hotel’s laundry room, according to court documents. Police found a plastic bag with cash in a washing machine and a loaded gold-colored handgun in a nearby trash can.

Police reviewed surveillance video from Walgreens and saw Ingram taking part in the robberies, according to court documents. Ingram and two others – a 16-year-old boy from Rockford and a 15-year-old boy from Beloit, Wisconsin – robbed two store employees at gunpoint and robbed two pharmacy technicians at gunpoint, police claim.

“During the robbery of the store, a patron ... had a handgun pointed at him by Ingram,” court documents state. “Ingram demanded his wallet and later took [cash] from [the patron].”

Ingram allegedly later admitted to Sycamore police he participated in the Walgreens robbery and attempted to take keys from Country Inn and Suites employees, according to court documents.

[ Teenagers target prescription drugs, money in armed robbery at Sycamore Walgreens: police ]

DeKalb County Assistant State’s Attorney Fred Malayter said in court Saturday that prosecutors wanted DeKalb County Judge Stephanie Klein to set Ingram’s bond at $600,000. He said Ingram is currently out on bond in Winnebago County for other firearms related charges and, because of the severity of the charges, he believes Ingram would be a flight risk and safety risk to the public if he was released on just his signature.

DeKalb County Public Defender Chip Criswell said in court Saturday that Ingram has a limited criminal history and that he thought placing Ingram on electronic home monitoring would satisfy the safety concerns for the public.

“I ask that the court consider that,” Criswell said.

Malayter said prosecutors would object to Ingram just being put on electronic home monitoring.

“We think that this guy is dangerous,” Malayter said.

Ultimately, Klein granted prosecutors’ request and set Ingram’s bond at $600,000, with 10% to post, meaning Ingram would have to pay $60,000 to get out of jail. She also ordered that Ingram have no contact with any of the alleged victims in the case and, should he be able to post bail, that he be placed on electronic home monitoring.

DeKalb County State’s Attorney Rick Amato said Saturday he was satisfied with Klein’s bond set for Ingram.

“The more the investigation goes, the more heinous this was,” Amato said. “It could’ve really been a devastating scene.”

The update comes after a group of teenagers, including one adult, held a Sycamore Walgreens at gunpoint Friday and attempted to steal prescription drugs and money, Sycamore Police Chief Jim Winters said.

Three were arrested, including Ingram. Police believe a fourth unknown person suspected in the robbery escaped in a vehicle, according to a news release from the Sycamore Police Department.

Amato said the state’s attorney’s office is still trying to determine whether the juveniles allegedly involved in the incident will be charged as adults. Law enforcement also is trying to determine whether same defendants are connected to other recent crimes of similar nature in northern Illinois, he said.

“They were arrested on scene as they were fleeing by officers from Sycamore, DeKalb and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office,” Winters said.

Police responded to a call about an armed robbery in progress at 6:30 a.m. Friday, Winters said. Officers from DeKalb and Sycamore departments and deputies from the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call and made contact with three accused of the robbery inside the store.

“The suspects, each armed with a handgun, attempted to flee through the front and side doors of the store but were apprehended after short foot pursuits,” according to the release.

Two individuals were caught by police in parking lots near Walgreens, and the third suspect was caught after he entered the nearby Country Inn and Suites hotel, police said. The Sycamore Walgreens is located near the Blain’s Farm and Fleet parking lot.

Winters said earlier Friday weapons were recovered from the scene by police. According to the release, those weapons were three handguns.

“No shots were fired and there were no reported injuries,” according to the release.

Winters said the three robbers tried to take money and prescription drugs from the Walgreens pharmacy.

“There were various bottles that were recovered,” Winters said.

The retail store and pharmacy was temporarily closed Friday morning. Heavy police presence remained in the parking lot, which was roped off by police tape, through 9 a.m.

The 24-hour Walgreens at 1340 DeKalb Ave. in Sycamore, reopened at about 9:30 a.m., according to a social media post on Twitter from the Sycamore Police Department.

Winters said two people – a Walgreens employee and one of the suspects – were taken to Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital by Sycamore paramedics for “precautionary measures,” he said. The two were evaluated and later released from the hospital, police said.

Anyone with more information about the incident is encouraged to call Sycamore police via telephone at 815-895-3435.

Ingram is scheduled to return to court at 2:30 p.m. Thursday for a bond reduction hearing.

Daily Chronicle editor Kelsey Rettke contributed to this report.