Three Charged After Scam Sale
A 20-year-old Macomb man, and two 15-year-old male juveniles, were arrested and detained after the trio allegedly held up a Champaign-area man and robbed him of $300 at a sale meet-up.
Paul Dodd, 20, of 578 River Run Dr., and the two juveniles have been charged with armed robbery/armed with a firearm (Class X felony), unlawful possession of a firearm and obstructing justice/destroying evidence (Class 4 felony). Dodd is currently being held in the McDonough County Jail, while the two juveniles are being held in a juvenile detention center. At a detention hearing Monday, Dodd was considered dangerous and ordered to remain detained. A pre-trial hearing has been set for June 24.
The three individuals allegedly met the man, who had traveled to Macomb to purchase clothing from Dodd, whom he knew, at an apartment in River Run Drive when Dodd and the two juvenile males reportedly pulled a gun and robbed the individual of $300. According to Macomb Police Department Chief Todd Tedrow, the victim then called police, and the youth and Dodd fled the area. This resulted in a brief foot pursuit near River Run Drive, including K-9 tracking getting involved.
The three suspects were detained, and a search warrant was obtained for Dodd's River Run apartment; the incident remains under investigation. Dodd currently also has warrants out for his arrest in Scott County, Iowa for failure to appear and third-degree burglary (vehicle).
'We want to remind people this is the perfect example of not meeting others when conducting a sale, even if you know them, at any location that is not a public place,' Tedrow said. 'We have public meet-up spots in our parking lot, with active cameras in place, to keep everyone safe.'
