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Victim's Sister Helped Plan Roscoe Village Home Invasion, Prosecutors Say

By Erin Meyer | September 18, 2014 3:39pm
 From left: Melvin Wilson, 20 of the first block of North Lavergne Avenue in Austin; Gary Wallace, 21, of the 2300 block of North Kedzie Avenue in Logan Square; Bryna Wolowic, 20, of the 700 block of Sun Lake Road in suburban Lake Villa.
From left: Melvin Wilson, 20 of the first block of North Lavergne Avenue in Austin; Gary Wallace, 21, of the 2300 block of North Kedzie Avenue in Logan Square; Bryna Wolowic, 20, of the 700 block of Sun Lake Road in suburban Lake Villa.
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Chicago Police Department

COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A suburban woman accused of stealing guns from a Roscoe Village apartment Tuesday night was let into the apartment because her brother lived there, prosecutors said.

Bryna Wolowic, 20, of Lake Villa, plotted with her two cohorts before going to the home in the 1800 block of West Belmont Avenue around 6 p.m., prosecutors said. After one of the tenants let her inside, Wolowic helped herself to a sandwich in the kitchen while sending a text message alerting Melvin Wilson, 20, and Gary Wallace, 21. 

Wolowic allegedly left, but returned moments later with Wallace. Around the same time, the roommate who let Wolowic in heard another knock at the door, prosecutors said. He opened the door and saw Wilson, who immediately punched him in the head. 

Wilson put the roommate in a choke hold and demanded money, prosecutors said. He followed the victim to a bedroom and forced him to lie face down on the bed while he made off with a debit card, a cellphone and a laptop. 

In another bedroom, the thieves found a shotgun and a rifle, which Wallace pointed at one of the roommates, prosecutors said. 

Wolowic's brother returned home to discover the unfolding drama and was forced to handover his cellphone, too, prosecutors said.

The trio then escaped, ditching a gun and some of the stolen merchandise as they fled. But Wilson and Wallace were spotted getting off the train at the Montrose "L" station by a police officer a short time later.

The two ran, but police caught up with Wilson and arrested him. Wallace was found a short time later in the 4300 block of North Honore Street, prosecutors said.

Wilson, of the first block of North Lavergne Avenue in Austin; Wallace, of the 2300 block of North Kedzie Avenue in Logan Square, and Wolowic, of the 700 block of Sun Lake Road in suburban Lake Villa, were charged with home invasion.

The victim, who was not injured in the attack, positively identified both men, police said. Both Wilson and Wallace made admissions about the home invasion, prosecutors said. 

Wolowic's parents brought her to the police station to turn herself in, prosecutors said.

During a brief court hearing Thursday, an attorney representing Wolowic said the young woman suffered from a mental disability and has no prior criminal records. 

Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered Wolowic held on $150,000 bail. He set bail for Wilson at $250,000 and for Wallace at $200,000. Both men have prior criminal records.

 

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