Police: 2 Chicago Men Try to Steal Cigarettes at BP

Two Chicago men were arrested at the BP Amoco, 9545 W. 191st St., trying to steal a carton of Newport cigarettes, according to a Mokena Police report.

William Dyson III, 24, of the 7300 block of South Paxton Avenue, and Bryant Larkin, 24, of the 9700 block of South Yates Street, were arrested on Sept. 12 and charged with local ordinance theft of less than $500.

A clerk at the gas station, who was also on duty on Aug. 19 when two men suspected in a tobacco store robbery purchased several cartons of Newport cigarettes with multiple gift card transactions, called police to report a suspicious incident when Dyson and Larkin came into the gas station and purchased Newport cigarettes with multiple gift cards.

READ: 2 Men Pull Smash and Grab at Tobacco Store

The clerk told police that Larkin had been in the night before, buying Newports with gift cards, the report stated. At the current time, Larkin had made two separate transactions with the same gift card, one for a carton of Newports and $30 in gas, and another for a second carton of Newports and a bottle of Hennessey, the report continued.

Dyson and another man were at the counter buying more cigarettes, while Larkin pumped gas outside, according to the report. Larkin then came in to the store and began yelling about the gas pump not working, the report stated. The clerk told him he'd need to wait while he helped Dyson and the other man at the counter, the report stated. But Larkin continued to argue and interrupt the clerk. At this point, the clerk placed a carton of cigarettes that he had in his hand behind a counter display and went into the back room to call police, the report continued.

While he called, the clerk saw Dyson reach behind the counter display, grab the cigarettes and begin to walk out without paying for them. According to the report, Larkin turned quickly to follow him out of the store. The clerk stopped Dyson several feet from the door and took the carton back, the report stated. At that point, Larkin was outside, the $30 in gas had been pumped, and the vehicle the men had arrived in was gone, presumably driven away by a third man who had arrived at the BP with Larkin and Dyson, the report stated.

READ: Man in Short Skirt Flashes 7-Eleven Customers

Larkin told police he and Dyson arrived at the BP in a green Jeep Cherokee with a friend, who must have left the parking lot in the Jeep, the report stated. Larkin said the three were on their way home from Iowa, where they had been buying cheaper cigarettes, but his story changed several times in regards to where the men were coming from and where they were headed, according to the report.

When asked why he continued to yell at the clerk whle he was helping other customers, Larkin told police it was because the gas pump wasn't working. However, he admitted the vehicle they had come in did get the gas that he had paid for before it left. When asked why their ride had left him and Dyson at the gas station, Larkin said he didn't know.

Dyson told police that he took the carton of Newports because he thought they had already been paid for, and when he was asked if he normally reaches behind the counter for items when there is no clerk present, he had no answer.

Dyson and Larkin were taken in to custody and charged. They were released on a $750 bond each, and their next court dates are Oct. 12.

Police report information is provided by Mokena Police, Will County Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.

Two Ways to Stay Connected to Mokena Patch:

• Subscribe to our newsletters to have headlines and breaking news delivered to your inbox.
• "Like" our Facebook page for updates throughout the day.