New Lenox man is 2nd robbery, abduction victim in 2 weeks in Will County: police

NEW LENOX, Ill. (WLS) -- A 57-year-old New Lenox man was robbed at gunpoint and abducted Friday in the southwest suburb, making him the second such victim in two weeks, the Will's County Sheriff's Office said.

Officers responded to a residence in unincorporated New Lenox about 8 a.m. Friday for reports of a missing man, the sheriff's office said. After speaking with family members, officers learned the man was leaving home for work at about 6 a.m. and was abducted from his driveway.

Officers were notified several hours later that the missing man had been dropped off in Indiana and was found unharmed, police said.

Police said four men wearing ski masks forced the victim into a dark-colored SUV at gunpoint, and made him remain inside the vehicle as they made several stops at stores to purchase items using his bank card, spending hundreds of dollars.

"They just took him on a little ride to a bunch of different stores and made him give them his PIN, and they made some purchases and took some money," Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley said.

Frankfort police reported a similar incident Nov. 16, involving a 60-year-old woman who was approached about 5:50 a.m. as she was at an ATM at a bank in the 20800-block of South LaGrange Road, police said.

She was forced to access her accounts and withdraw cash and, like the man, was driven around for hours in her vehicle with three masked men as they stopped at several stores to buy items using her bank cards, stealing thousands from her.

The woman was not harmed and was dropped off in Chicago with her vehicle, police said.

"If they are armed and they are ordering you around, so to speak, then I would cooperate with them," Kelley said. "They (the victims) went through some traumatic events, but they're here to talk about it."

Officers believe the suspects involved in the New Lenox robbery were the same individuals involved in the Frankfort robbery, and were fully masked as they shopped in stores.

"It was quite shocking when I received the information," Kelley said. "This kind of stuff doesn't really happen around here."

Neighbors said they were worried the alleged kidnappers would come back again.

"You don't know if they're going to kill you or what's going to happen," New Lenox resident Jesse Schmidt said.

The sheriff's office and Frankfort police are asking anyone who has information to call 815-727-8574 or 815-469-9435 and be extra cautious of their surroundings, while detectives continue to investigate.