Wheaton Man Charged in String of Suburban Lottery Ticket Thefts Held Until Trial
Accused of Stealing Lottery Tickets from Multiple Convenience Stores
A Wheaton man accused of stealing lottery tickets from multiple suburban convenience stores, including one in Elmhurst, will remain in custody until his next court date, DuPage County officials said.
Charges and Court Appearance
Yonas Beyene, 27, appeared in court on Saturday morning on charges of continuing financial crimes enterprise, a Class 1 felony; burglary, a Class 2 felony; and retail theft, a Class 3 felony, when he was denied pre-trial release, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney.
Elmhurst Police Investigation
Elmhurst police were called on December 22 to a 7-Eleven at 155 E. First St. for a theft that occurred overnight. Beyene allegedly entered the store at 11:17 p.m. on December 21, spoke to the clerk to warm up inside and charge his phone while waiting for a ride. Then, at 1:47 a.m., he allegedly reached around the lottery display when the clerk went to the cooler and removed $730 worth of scratch-off tickets from two containers. Authorities said he fled the store with the tickets as the clerk returned to the counter.
Further Investigation and Arrest
Further investigation revealed Beyene was a suspect in several lottery ticket thefts and burglaries in Addison, Winfield, Carol Stream, Hanover Park, Oakbrook Terrace, and Lombard. He also had three outstanding warrants. Villa Park police were monitoring a motel in the area when they saw Beyene leave and get into a taxi. Officers conducted a traffic stop on the taxi and arrested Beyene.
Statement from DuPage County State’s Attorney
“It is alleged that for the past several months, Mr. Beyene entered multiple convenience stores throughout the Chicagoland area and then stole lottery tickets once given the opportunity,” said DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin. “In this case, it is alleged that Mr. Beyene first befriended an unsuspecting store clerk and then stole lottery tickets when the clerk briefly went to a back cooler. This type of chronic victimization of our retail establishments will not be tolerated in DuPage County. I thank the Elmhurst Police Department for their efforts on this case as well as the multiple agencies in multiple jurisdictions and counties for their assistance. I commend the Villa Park Police Department and authorities with the Illinois Lottery for their efforts in the identification and apprehension of the defendant. Because of the cooperative efforts of all these agencies, we were able to bring Mr. Beyene’s alleged crime spree to an end. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorney Jennifer Nielsen for her efforts on this case.”
Next Court Date
Beyene is set to appear in court again on January 27.
Conclusion
The alleged thefts and burglaries committed by Beyene are a reminder of the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the need to hold individuals accountable for their actions.
FAQs
* What are the charges against Yonas Beyene?
+ Continuing financial crimes enterprise, a Class 1 felony; burglary, a Class 2 felony; and retail theft, a Class 3 felony.
* How many convenience stores were targeted in the alleged thefts?
+ Multiple stores in the Chicagoland area, including those in Elmhurst, Addison, Winfield, Carol Stream, Hanover Park, Oakbrook Terrace, and Lombard.
* How much was stolen in the alleged thefts?
+ $730 worth of scratch-off tickets from two containers at the 7-Eleven in Elmhurst.
