Rash of armed robberies targeting seniors in Urkrainian Village partially solved

Rico Hargrove in custody

By 9:30 p.m. on Thurs., Nov. 10, at least eight victims of a series of armed robberies targeting seniors in Ukrainian Village were at the Harrison police station about to view a lineup.

The incident that led to the capture and arrest of Rico Hargrove, 22, began just after 8:15 a.m. Hargrove robbed a seventy-nine year old gentleman at gunpoint in the 800 block of north Oakley. Tactical officers from the 13th District spotted the offender and  began running after him.

On his way to a meeting, a local resident was, driving his van along Rice. When he got to Oakley, "this guy was running south on Oakley then east on Rice, running like crazy. Behind him were two plain clothes police men with guns drawn running after him. It all happened so fast that I am not sure what I was thinking except that I wanted to help the policemen.

"I did a U-turn going up Rice, going the wrong way, and caught up with the last police officer and asked him if he wanted a ride. He gestured yes and we saw the guy run into St. Nickolas School's parking lot with the other officer right behind him.

"I told the officer with me that that was good because there was no way out of the parking lot. As we drove up, we saw the other officer reaching up to grab the guy who was scaling the seven to eight foot fence and rolling over to the other side.

"I put my van in reverse and we went around the block...continued east on Rice then north on Leavitt and pulled into the alley only to see him going through a gate going north up a gangway.  I backed up...down Leavitt again and we saw him crossing the street so I went up the alley which should have been where he was coming out.

"The police officer got out, gun drawn going yard by yard. I got out and went the opposite direction to see if I could see anything. I noticed the back door of a building that was open a couple of inches. I called the officer and he went in quickly. A marked police car came up and I pointed him after the other officer. Seconds later I heard the officer telling the offender to show his hands and not resist."

A weapon was recovered and the offender was subsequently charged with one count of Armed Robbery - Other Dangerous Weapon, one count of Robbery - Armed w/firearm, and one misdemeanor count of Aggravated Assault.

While several victims identified this offender, others did not, leading authorities to believe there is at least one other offender with a similar MO. It is not known if they have worked together.

Hargrove is expected to appear in bond court at 2600 S. California on November 12, 2011.

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