Cops: 2 accused of using fake gun to rob shoe store

Two men are accused of using a fake gun to rob a Chatham shoe store Tuesday night, Chicago police said this morning.

Joshua Bradley and Brian Brittnum, both 23 and of the 8200 block of South Throop Street, have been charged with two counts each of armed robbery in connection with the Tuesday night holdup at the Payless Shoe Source in the East Chatham neighborhood.

The men, wearing ski masks, walked into the Payless, 8552 S. Cottage Grove Ave., about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday and held it up with a fake gun that police described as a drill wrapped in duct tape. Police said the two were given an undisclosed amount of money and fled.

As the pair made their escape, one of the people in the store was able to get the license plate number of their vehicle. Police traced the plate number to a residence in the 8300 block of South Ingleside Avenue.

Soon thereafter when police went to the residence, the girlfriend of one of the suspects answered the door, police said. The girlfriend, to whom the vehicle was registered, gave police permission to search the residence, and Bradley and Brittnum were found in a back room, police said.

The stolen money, the fake gun and ski masks were recovered at the scene.

Bradley and Brittnum are due to appear for their bond hearing today in Cook County Criminal Court.