Gunman Robs Elmhurst Resident of His Air Jordans

A man was robbed at gunpoint by two men in Elmhurst on Christmas Eve.

The victim placed an ad on Craigslist to trade his new Nike Air Jordan gym shoes for a different size. The Air Jordan's had just been distributed to retail stores.

A man answered the ad and they agreed to meet Dec. 24 on Elm Creek Drive near Elm Creek Apartments.

At about 8:15 p.m., as the victim was about to conduct what he thought was a legitimate transaction with the suspect, another man, partially masked and wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, approached him and displayed a black revolver. He told the victim to drop the shoes.

The victim dropped the shoes, and the two suspects fled the scene in a black Nissan Altima licensed out of Florida. The victim was able to provide police with the license plate number.

Within hours, Elmhurst police, with the assistance of Bellwood police, apprehended the driver, Rodney E. Payton, 22, of Bellwood. Police also found a loaded .38 caliber pistol in the vehicle.

Peyton was charged with armed robbery with a firearm and is being held on $100,000 bond at DuPage County Jail. The other suspect, who is believed to be the gunman, has also been tentatively identified and an investigation into his whereabouts continues.

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