Drones stolen from suburban hobby store, owners say

ST. CHARLES, Ill. (WLS) -- A store in the western suburbs is offering a reward after someone allegedly walked off with two very expensive drones.

The two stolen drones are worth a combined $1,600. The alleged thief came in and out of the store several times and was carrying a puppy and letting others pet the dog.

The owners of the store released surveillance video of the man who they say walked into their store with a pit-bull puppy in hand.

The alleged thefts took place Saturday afternoon at HobbyTown USA in suburban St. Charles, a family-owned business that sells various drones and radio-controlled toys.

Surveillance video shows the man leaving the store with what the owners say was a $350 drone, and then five minutes later re-entering the store and swiping a second drone worth $1,300.

The suspect was carrying the dog the whole time.

"I actually petted his puppy. It was ridiculous," said Jeremy Dale, store co-owner.

"Pretty brazen. Just to come into our business, and for us to have a conversation with him and approach him and ask him if he needed help, and talk to our customers and make contact with multiple people in the store, and then still feel the need to steal from us was pretty upsetting," said Summer Davis, store co-owner.

The owners described that man as being in his 30s with tattoos and large gauge-style earrings.

Police are now investigating and the store is offering a $300 reward for information in the case.