URBANA, Illinois – A man was arrested Tuesday after burglarizing a Campustown drugstore.

29-year-old Geovontae Galloway of Chicago was arrested for burglary and continuing financial crime enterprise. 

On Tuesday, July 16, at 12:36 p.m., University of Illinois Police officers responded to a report of shoplifting at Walgreens, 407 E. Green Street, Champaign. The store manager reported an employee witnessing three men take merchandise from the shelves and place it in their backpacks. 

Based on the manager’s description of the suspects, the responding officer had reason to believe they were connected to a previous string of retail thefts at Walgreens stores in Champaign-Urbana and advised area units to check the other locations. 

A UIPD telecommunicator used security camera footage to locate the suspects, and area officers used automated license plate readers to locate the suspect vehicle that was identified in the previous string of retail thefts. 

Officers learned that individuals with a similar description and modus operandi stole merchandise from an Urbana location earlier in the day. 

A Champaign County Sheriff’s Deputy located the vehicle and made contact with three individuals matching the description of the suspects as they fled from Walgreens, 1713 W. Springfield Avenue, Champaign.

Galloway was apprehended and transported to UIPD. In an interview with investigators, he admitted to stealing from Walgreens and was transported to the Champaign County Jail. The other two suspects were not apprehended. 

Officers recovered thousands of dollars worth of stolen merchandise discarded by the fleeing subjects and within the suspect vehicle. A firearm was also recovered from the vehicle. 

The investigation is ongoing, and police continue to seek any information collected by witnesses.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the University of Illinois Police Department at 217-333-1216. Witnesses may remain anonymous by calling Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-8477 (373-TIPS), by visiting 373tips.com or by providing information through the P3 Tips mobile app available on iOS and Android. All messages to Crime Stoppers are electronically stripped of identifying information and forwarded to police by an independent third party.

Please note, those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty, and formal charges may change as cases are adjudicated.