Teen arrested for robbery after jumping from roof to roof

A teen armed with a “replica gun” was charged with robbery after stealing several items including drumsticks, cymbals and a pink handbag from a man and a teen girl while the man’s 8-year-old daughter watched Sunday in the Avondale neighborhood on the Northwest Side.

Sebastian Melendez, 18, of the 2800 block of North Drake Avenue, was charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, both of which are felonies, according to police.

The incident occurred Sunday at 1:55 a.m. on the 2800 block of North Milwaukee Avenue when Melendez allegedly armed with a “replica gun’’ that was not real took cell phones, $300 cash, cymbals and drumsticks worth $600 and a pink handbag from a 31-year-old man and a 17-year-old female who were walking, according to police.

The man's 8-year-old daughter witnessed the robbery. After the robbery, someone saw Melendez running into a home a few blocks away. Responding officers went to the home where officers spoke with Melendez’s father who let officers inside, according to police.

Melendez went onto the roof of the home and then jumped to the roof of an adjacent building. He then allegedly hid in an enclosed rear porch of the building he jumped to, where officers found him, according to police.

The property and money was found inside Melenedez’s room and no one was hurt, police said.

Grand Central Area detectives are investigating.