New chapter in Frankfort tobacco store burglary drama

The drama over a recent tobacco shop burglary continues as the owner has gone from victim to arrestee to victim again, police said.

A Will County deputy reported a man went to Joe’s Tobacco on Oct. 3 to demand an apology from owner Michael A. Menias, who allegedly threatened his brother with an air gun over the break-in.

At 2:48 a.m. Sept. 28, the front door of the store at 7705 W. St. Francis Road was smashed in and a carton of Pall Mall cigarettes and three glass pipes were taken from a cabinet. The cash register was left untouched.

Later that day, a customer told Menias that a 20-year-old who was also a regular customer was involved.

The 20-year-old saw Menias had written about the burglary on his Facebook page and visited the store around 9:30 p.m. to find out what had happened, according to reports.

Surveillance video allegedly shows Menias and his father ordering the young man to sit down and admit he’d broken in. When he denied it, Menias threatened him with an air pistol that resembles a real handgun, the video reportedly shows.

The 20-year-old who Menias suspected called his mother, who convinced Menias he’d been at home when the store was burglarized. When the young man was allowed to leave, his mother called police and Menias was arrested for aggravated assault.

But around 5:30 p.m. Oct. 3, Kyle D. Johnson, 23, reportedly came in and “demanded an apology” from Menias “for what you did to my brother.”

Police said Menias told Johnson he had been arrested for the incident and the court system should handle it.

Menias said Johnson refused to leave and threatened to hurt him.

During questioning, Johnson acknowledged going to seek an apology and refusing to leave, but denied making any threats, police said.

Johnson, of 7811 W. Laurel Drive, was arrested on a charge of criminal trespassing and released on bond.