From the Harvard Police:
Armed Robbery
On Thursday, December 11, 2025, at approximately 1:42 am, the Harvard Police Department was dispatched to the area of Route 14 (North Division Street) and North Garfield Street for a report of an armed robbery that had just occurred.
It was reported that the victims were pursuing the offending vehicle and its occupants but lost sight of it after crossing into Wisconsin.
The Walworth County Sheriff’s Office was provided with the suspect vehicle description.
Upon meeting with the victims, two Janesville, Wisconsin residents (M-32 and F-49), officers were informed that they had been selling jewelry through Facebook Marketplace.
After agreeing on a price, the parties arranged to meet in the 1100 block of North Jefferson Street to complete the transaction.
During the meeting, the offenders displayed a rifle and stole the jewelry before fleeing northbound out of
town into Wisconsin.
Harvard officers were later notified that the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office had located the suspect vehicle, which subsequently fled from deputies.
Walworth County Deputies pursued the vehicle into Racine County, Wisconsin, where, with assistance
from the Racine County Sheriff’s Office, spike strips were deployed to disable the vehicle.
The three offenders were taken into custody without incident.
The stolen jewelry and the rifle were recovered inside the vehicle.
The offenders were identified as Dominick D. Black (M-24) of Kenosha, Wisconsin; Blair W. Stiles II (M-19) of Kenosha, Wisconsin; and Solomon A. Bankhead (M-25) of Kenosha, Wisconsin.
After consultation with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, one count of Armed Robbery was approved for each suspect, and arrest warrants were obtained.
All three offenders are currently being held in the Walworth County Jail awaiting extradition.
This incident remains under investigation, and additional charges may be forthcoming.
The Harvard Police Department would like to remind residents that when selling or
purchasing items through Facebook Marketplace or other private-sale platforms, they
should always meet in a well-lit, public location, or utilize the designated Safe
Exchange Zone located at the Harvard Police Department to help ensure a safe and
secure transaction.
