SYCAMORE – A DeKalb County judge set bond at $500,000 for the 38-year-old Hampshire man arrested Friday night in connection with an armed robbery at a Sycamore gas station.
If Michael J. Wesbrock, 38, of the 400 block of South Street, is convicted of armed robbery, he could be sentenced to from six to 30 years in prison, as armed robbery is a nonprobationable offense.
Prosecutors said Wesbrock brandished a black semi-automatic handgun at the clerk of the BP gas station at 1615 DeKalb Ave. about 4 p.m. Dec. 27 and fled with an undisclosed amount of money.
Chief Judge Robbin Stuckert ruled that if Wesbrock posts $50,000 to be released, he’ll be put on electronic home monitoring.
Public Defender Tom McCulloch filed a petition Tuesday to reduce Wesbrock’s bond.
Sycamore police, a Genoa police K-9 unit and DeKalb County Sheriff’s deputies were unable to locate a suspect immediately after the robbery, surveillance footage from security cameras near the gas station revealed more detailed images of the suspect and a vehicle.
After releasing an image to law enforcement, posting it on social media and providing it to local media, police were able to identify Wesbrock on Friday evening.
Sycamore detectives then learned that Kane County Sheriff’s deputies had contact with Wesbrock in an unrelated incident on the same day the robbery happened.
Deputies found Wesbrock at his home about 9:40 p.m. Friday and arrested him without incident.
Wesbrock is due back in court at 9 a.m. Jan. 26.