Crystal Lake, Island Lake police investigating Sunday armed robberies

Crystal Lake and Island Lake police are investigating three Sunday night robberies that might be connected, authorities said.

About 6:47 p.m. Sunday, Crystal Lake police were called to Open Pantry Market Gas Station, 4811 Northwest Highway, for a reported armed robbery.

Two suspects had entered the store, and one showed a handgun and demanded cash from the cashier, Crystal Lake police said in a news release sent on Monday. The two suspects left the scene with cash and merchandise and were seen running south on Manor Road, police said.

About an hour later, police said the same two suspects entered a Circle K Gas Station, 280 N. Route 31, where both suspects showed handguns and demanded cash from the clerks. The suspects again fled on foot with cash and were last seen running north on Route 31, police said.

No one was injured in either incident, police said.

Witnesses described the first suspect as a 6-foot-tall man with a heavier build, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with dark pants and athletic shoes, police said. The second suspect was described as a 5-foot-10-inch man with a medium build. The second suspect was wearing a blue hooded jacket with stripes down each arm, ripped blue jeans and a ball cap, police said.

Island Lake police are investigating a Sunday night gas station robbery that could be connected to other area robberies, Chief Dan Palmer said Monday morning.

About 8 p.m. Sunday, two men allegedly entered a Mobil gas station at 520 Newport Court, off Route 176. The duo pretended they were buying a bottle of soda with a $5 bill, Palmer said.

“When the register was open, one of them stuck a gun in the attendant’s face,” Palmer said.

The two emptied the register and left, Palmer said. Palmer wouldn’t say how much money was stolen. The type of gun used is unknown, he said.

The incident might be connected to several other robberies that allegedly took place Sunday night, he said. He wouldn’t confirm a location for the other robberies.

“I am told it might be related to some others,” he said, adding that the other robberies had similar descriptions.

No one was injured during the Island Lake robbery. The investigation is ongoing.

McHenry Police Department on Sunday night sent on-duty officers to warn gas stations in McHenry of “robberies in the area” and check for suspicious activity, Public Affairs Officer Patrick Polidori said.

Polidori wouldn’t comment on where the other robberies had occurred.