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You can help Chicago police identify two suspects who stole thousands of Illinois Lottery tickets.
A smash-and-grab burglary at Express Food Mart in Rogers Park has left the owner counting his losses. Security footage captured two thieves breaking into the Devon Avenue store and making off with a lottery machine and nearly $7,000 worth of tickets.
The break-in happened at 1358 W Devon Ave. The owner says the suspects used a large stone to shatter the front glass door. Once inside, they grabbed the lottery machine and a stash of tickets before fleeing the scene.
How long did the theft take? Only 30 seconds.
The robbery has been reported to the Illinois Lottery. Chicago police confirmed no arrests have been made. Anyone with information about the suspects should contact the authorities.
Another lottery thief caught after months-long crime spree
While Rogers Park police search for their suspects, another lottery ticket thief has been caught after targeting stores across northern Illinois.
A motel stakeout ended with an arrest, linking a Wheaton man to a series of lottery ticket thefts throughout the Chicago area.
Yonas Beyene, 37, has been accused of stealing hundreds of dollars worth of lottery tickets from convenience stores across multiple towns. His method? Befriend the clerks, then strike when they're distracted.
The scheme worked the same way each time. Beyene would enter a store, chat with the employee, and ask to stay inside to warm up or charge his phone. Once the clerk stepped away, he allegedly grabbed scratch-off tickets and disappeared.
The Elmhurst theft
On December 22, 2024, Elmhurst Police responded to a 7-Eleven at 155 E. First Street. The clerk reported that Beyene had entered the store the night before, around 11:17 p.m. CT, and asked to warm up while waiting for a ride. The clerk agreed.
At 1:47 a.m. CT, the clerk went to the cooler. Security footage allegedly shows Beyene reaching around the lottery display and taking approximately $730 worth of scratch-off tickets. He fled before the clerk returned.
Investigators discovered Beyene was a suspect in similar thefts in Addison, Winfield, Carol Stream, Hanover Park, Oakbrook Terrace, and Lombard. He also had three outstanding warrants for theft of lottery tickets.
The arrest
Police located Beyene at a Villa Park motel on January 3, 2025. Officers surveilled the location and watched him leave in a taxi. They performed a traffic stop and took him into custody.
Beyene appeared in court on January 4, 2025, facing one count of continuing financial crimes enterprise, one count of burglary, and one count of retail theft.
Lottery ticket thefts in Illinois
The Rogers Park theft shows that lottery ticket crimes remain a problem in the Chicago area. While Beyene's arrest brought one crime spree to an end, the Express Food Mart burglary shows thieves are still targeting stores for Illinois Lottery products.
The Devon Avenue suspects remain at large. Will security footage lead to arrests as it did in the Beyene case? Store owners hope so.
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