Transient charged with stealing truck out of Peoria

Hunter
01/08/21

An area transient has been taken into custody after being found in possession of a truck reported stolen out of Peoria Illinois.

Police were dispatched to the 400 block of South Gilbert Street Thursday morning because an individual was asking people for gas money, and was then seen loitering in a vehicle. They came upon the man, 27-year-old Robert Julin, inside a 2010 Chevy Tahoe. A check of the vehicle identification number indicated that it had been reported stolen two days earlier in Peoria.  The victim reported that he left it running in a grocery store parking lot and returned to find it missing.

When confronted about the vehicle, Julin claimed that the truck belonged to his friend, but could not recall the friend’s name. Police allegedly detected the strong odor of burning marijuana coming from the truck.

A subsequent search of the vehicle turned up some marijuana “shake” on top of the center console next to a clear baggie containing marijuana and a “roach.”  A prescription bottle prescribed to another individual containing liquid morphine was also allegedly discovered. When Julin himself was searched, a pack of cannabis-infused Gummies was reportedly found in his coat pocket.

Julin was wanted on a parole violation after failing to stay in contact with the court during pretrial release on charges from January 2020.

He was taken into custody and charged with 1st Degree Theft and two counts of controlled substance possession for Thursday’s incident and could be sentenced to up to twelve years in prison on those charges if convicted.