Brandon Kelly

A 27-year-old Florida man has been charged in connection with a spree of retail thefts in Chicago.

The arrest comes following a Cook County Sheriff’s Police Organized Retail Crime Taskforce investigation.

In December, investigators received a tip that Brandon Kelly of Jacksonville, Fla. was allegedly selling stolen merchandise on the 6300 block of South Ashland Avenue in Chicago’s West Englewood neighborhood.

On Thursday, investigators conducted a targeted retail theft surveillance operation that led to Kelly’s arrest after he took merchandise from various commercial stores on the 4900 block of South Kedzie Avenue throughout the day and then returned to the West Englewood area to resell the merchandise.

Sheriff’s Police said further investigation revealed that Kelly produced a firearm from his waistband and threatened a store clerk. Investigators said they located and arrested Kelly on the 6200 block of South Ashland Avenue and found him in possession of a loaded handgun and recovered  stolen merchandise, valued at nearly $10,000.

Investigators said they also learned that Kelly had an active Cook County arrest warrant for shoplifting and had numerous prior arrests in Illinois, Florida and California for retail theft, burglary, domestic violence, and being in violation of an order of protection.

On Friday, Kelly was charged with multiple felonies including aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, retail theft, and aggravated assault with a firearm.

He appeared for his initial hearing today at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago, where a judge ordered him detained in the Cook County Jail.

His next court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.