Repeat Offender Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Store Burglaries

A Chicago man with a lengthy criminal history has been sentenced to six years in state prison after prosecutors revealed he burglarized two stores just two days after being released from custody. Vance Patton, 59, entered a guilty plea for five robbery charges, including two incidents on March 22, shortly after his release from Graham Correctional Center. Cook County Judge Terry Gallagher imposed concurrent six-year sentences on him.

Patton is eligible for parole on March 17, 2028, according to Illinois’ credit system for time served.

His recent offenses marked a continuation of a pattern of property crimes that has persisted for decades. This time, Patton—who has 20 burglary convictions—was apprehended after he smashed a window at a warehouse store near 1900 West 95th Street and stole $1 from the register. He then crossed the street to a local business, Flippin Flavors, where he broke in and took five soda cans. Police arrested him shortly after, on suspicion of robbery.

This isn’t the first time Patton has quickly reoffended after serving time. For instance, a 2011 Illinois Court of Appeals case noted that he committed another robbery a mere six days after being released on December 20, 2007. According to the court records, he had been sentenced to three years of supervised release then, but was arrested just days later after another burglary.

His most recent release was on March 20, when he was serving time for an unrelated theft charge. Just two days later, local business owners discovered broken glass and missing merchandise at their properties.

Throughout his life, Patton has cycled in and out of Cook County Jail and various prisons across Illinois. While his past record is extensive, recent charges were classified as second-degree felonies, largely due to the minimal monetary value of the items taken. Considering good behavior credits, he might only serve about half of his six-year sentence.