CHICAGO – Three men, two of whom are on parole, are accused of stealing thousands of dollars by breaking into video game and lottery machines at Chicago businesses.
Investigators this week staked out the Logan Square home of Samier Marogail, 34, after linking a series of crimes to a vehicle registered in his name, court records show.
When police were watching his home Monday, they learned another burglary had just occurred at a Shell station in the 7100 block of North Sheridan. Three people played video games at the station from 7 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., winning about $4,000 along the way, according to a Chicago police report.
When they finished playing, the trio used two crowbars to break open the slot machines and steal money, according to police.
Officers arrested Marogail, 35-year-old Yong Suk Lee and 34-year-old Timothy Blaze when they returned to Marogail’s home in the 2000 block of North Milwaukee.
Prosecutors also charged Marogail and Lee with breaking into a slot machine at Shell, 6400 West Belmont, worth $5,681 on Oct. 19. According to a CPD report, three men wearing ski masks walked into the station around 2:30 a.m. and two forced their way inside. slot machine safes, while the third was on lookout. The two are also accused of stealing approximately $1,800 from a video game machine at Belford Tavern, 3200 North Pulaski, on Sunday.
Marogail is also accused of breaking into a machine at a mini market in the 5700 block of West Fullerton on Sept. 27 and stealing $14,027 from the Shell station at 6400 West Belmont on Aug. 16.
The Illinois Department of Corrections filed arrest warrants for Marogail and Lee and held them in custody until officials reviewed their parole. Marogail was paroled in April for two gun cases, and Lee was paroled in March for manufacturing and delivering cocaine in Kane County, according to IDOC records.
Judge Caroline Glennon-Goodman released Blaze pending trial.
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