COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A Wicker Park man repeatedly stabbed a 60-year-old maintenance employee during a botched burglary at Second City early Tuesday, prosecutors said.
Andre Bingham, 50, broke into the building at 1616 N. Wells St. around 2 a.m. Tuesday and proceeded to spend several hours stuffing Second City property and employees' belongings into several large bags, according to an arrest report.
Among the items stolen were bottles of alcohol, stage equipment, cash cards and two guitars, police and prosecutors said.
A 60-year-old maintenance man found the bags when he arrived for work shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday, Assistant State's Attorney Erin Antonietti said during a bond hearing Wednesday.
He and a 49-year-old colleague confronted Bingham, who pulled out a letter opener and repeatedly stabbed the 60-year-old worker in his upper ribs, prosecutors said.
Police arrested Bingham on the scene.
He is charged with burglary, armed robbery with a dangerous weapon and aggravated battery to a victim who is 60 or older.
According to prosecutors, Bingham, of the 1600 block of West Le Moyne Street, is currently on parole for attempted robbery. He was previously convicted of retail theft, burglary, attempted burglary, home invasion, possession of a controlled substance, identity theft and damage to property.
Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan on Wednesday ordered Bingham held in lieu of $350,000 bail.
Second City released a statement Wednesday night: "We continue to work with police investigating the case. In the meantime, we're extremely grateful our employee who tried to stop the robbery is on the mend."
