Vernon Hills police responded about 1:40 a.m. Tuesday to an armed robbery at the Home Depot store in the 400 block of Milwaukee Avenue. A Northern Illinois Police Alarm System Emergency Services Team (NIPAS-EST) is searching stores in the area, because there was a possibility the suspects, two masked men, were still confined in Home Depot or one of the stores in the shopping center nearby. At about 6:15 a.m. police were entering the Home Depot store. There is no report of any hostages or injuries. Store employees were able to escape.
The employees that escaped the threat were overnight stockers. Police believe the offenders escaped without any proceeds from the crime. A large Lake County Forest Preserve area and Des Plaines River Trail is located directly behind and east of the Home Depot.
At 9:00 a.m. the area of Home Depot, including other stores nearby, was declared clear. The store opened by about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.