EFFINGHAM — Effingham Police Chief Jason McFarland presented a resident with a Citizen Service Citation during an Effingham City Council meeting this week for his help in leading police to an armed robbery suspect.
On Aug. 7, Steve Bone stopped through Walgreens pharmacy drive-thru to pick up some items when he noticed an employee seemed distressed. McFarland said Bone then “picked up” the business was being robbed, and possible armed subjects were in the building. McFarland said Bone got out of his car and instructed the person behind him in line to call 911.
“Mr. Bone is one of the millions of citizens in Illinois that are lawfully allowed to be armed, and he was armed that day. But he also had the knowledge not to go inside and make a confrontation,” McFarland said.
Instead, McFarland said Bone went inside, identified the suspect, waited for him to leave, followed the suspect, and directed police to him when they arrived.
“He did all the right things at the right time with the right outcome,” said McFarland.
The person was apprehended and taken into custody, and no one was injured.
McFarland emphasized that Bone, who is an Effingham Unit 40 School Board member, was “situationally” aware when he got to the drive-thru.
“He wasn’t worried about his phone. He wasn’t worried about what was on the radio or what was going on at home,” he said. “He picked up a person in distress, and he cared enough to step in and do something about it.”
According to police, the suspect, Hadley R. Majors, 26, of Effingham, was located in the parking lot. After a brief foot pursuit, he entered his vehicle and fled the scene at a high rate of speed. Officers located Majors’ vehicle minutes later, which had crashed at the intersection of U.S. Highway 40 and Outer Belt West. Majors again fled on foot over the railroad tracks in front of a moving train and ran into the woods. Shortly after, he surrendered to officers and was taken into custody without further incident.
Majors was found in possession of hydrocodone, according to Effingham County Grand Jury indictments. The indictments also allege he touched an employee’s throat with a fixed-blade knife.
Majors, who is currently in jail, is charged with Armed Robbery, a Class X felony; Aggravated Battery, a Class 3 felony; and Possession of a Controlled Substance, a Class 4 felony.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has seen an increase in burglaries at pharmacies nationwide. Nearly 900 burglaries involving the theft of controlled substances were reported to DEA in 2023, according to the agency.
Last week, representatives from the DEA joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office to announce the results of a 21-month investigation into a Houston-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for hundreds of pharmacy burglaries across the country, including in Illinois. According to the DEA, the Houston-based network targeted rural pharmacies. The culmination of this investigation led to the arrest of an additional 24 members of the DTO in Houston.
Oxycodone, hydrocodone, alprazolam and promethazine with codeine cough syrup were among the most common controlled substances stolen and transported to Houston to be sold illegally, according to the announcement.
In December 2023, McKindley V. Allen, 32, of Houston, Texas, and others unlawfully entered a pharmacy in Casey, Illinois, with intent to steal controlled substances by using a Sawzall to cut through the exterior wall, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District. In January, Allen and others burglarized a pharmacy in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and took more than 16,000 pills. The press release stated that after burglarizing the pharmacies, Allen admitted to conspiring with others to distribute the stolen oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine.
Allen pleaded guilty to federal charges on Aug. 28 for conspiracy to commit burglary involving controlled substances, conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and attempted burglary involving controlled substances.
In other business, the council:
Appointed Tayler Polk as building official to fill the remainder of the 2024-25 fiscal term of Chris Roedl, who has gone on to another position. “I’ve always admired what the city has done with their growth and development and just excited to bring my expertise and knowledge and join the team,” said Polk.Presented Russ Leppin with Employee of the Quarter. Leppin has been an operator with the Public Works Department for over two decades. The nomination states that this summer Russ lent a huge hand in fixing unforeseen sewer issues in the Water Department’s construction of the water mains for Virginia Avenue and Second Street.Welcomed the newest member of the Effingham Police Department, Alexander Larch. He previously worked as a telecommunicator for the city and recently graduated from the police academy at the top of his class academically.Heard the Downtown Lounge is requesting $5,066 in Downtown/Southtown TIF funds for a rehabilitation project. The work includes new windows and doors, pressure washing and painting the exterior, new building signage, and relocating the cooler condenser. The total project cost is $20,266.Heard the city Comprehensive Plan Update Community Survey is now available on the city’s website at effinghamil.com.