UPDATES WITH CHARGES
A south suburban man has been charged with robbing a gas station early Tuesday in Homer Glen and then returning to steal a vehicle from a customer at the same station.
Robert A. Bennet, 37, faces felony counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated battery, aggravated vehicular hijacking and attempted aggravated vehicular hijacking, according to the Will County sheriff’s office.
At 5:20 a.m., Bennet had a shotgun when he walked into the Speedway station at 15060 S. Bell Rd. in Homer Glen and demanded money, sheriff’s police said.
The Lansing resident struck an employee and took cash, then stole a purse from a customer, police said. After taking off, Bennet lost control of his vehicle and crashed at 151st Street and Bell Road, according to the sheriff’s office.
He returned to the Speedway and stole a 2015 Chrysler 200 at gunpoint from a customer pumping gas, and then drove off in the stolen car, police said.
Later in the day, deputies recovered the stolen vehicle in Robbins, and tracked down Bennet at a motel in Markham, police said. Several victims identified him as the robber, police said.
Bennet is suspected in a similar robbery in Oak Forest, but has not been charged in that case, police said. He remained jailed Tuesday night ahead of a Wednesday bond hearing in Will County.