Des Plaines car dealership owners, employee kidnapped, beaten and burned for hours; 2 suspects in custody
George P. Athanasakos, 24 (left), Brandon D. Bratcher, 27 (right)
DES PLAINES, Ill. - Two suburban men are accused of kidnapping, beating, robbing and burning three Des Plaines car dealership employees last month.
George P. Athanasakos, 24, of Wood Dale, and Brandon D. Bratcher, 27, of Hanover Park, have each been charged with three counts of aggravated kidnapping and three counts of armed robbery.
Bratcher was also charged with one count of residential burglary.
According to police, on Feb. 10, three victims, two men and one woman, were taken from their car dealership located at 622 E. Northwest Hwy. in Des Plaines.
Two of the victims own the dealership and the third victim is an employee.
It was determined that the victims, Anthanasakos and Batcher knew each other through buying and refurbishing vehicles.
The victims and Bratcher were at the dealership when several masked offenders entered the dealership armed with rifles and handguns.
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The offenders robbed the victims of their personal belongings and then bound the victims' hands and feet, covered their heads and forced them into a vehicle.
The victims were then taken to another location where they were beaten repeatedly, burned with a hot object and restrained throughout the evening.
The victims were then driven back to the car dealership the next morning and were told by the offenders to give them a substantial amount of money and threatened violence if they did not pay, police said.
One of the victims was able to positively identify Athanasakos and Bratcher as suspects in this case.
Athanasakos was taken into custody by Des Plaines investigators on Feb. 16 in Palatine. Bratcher was taken into custody by Des Plaines police on March 1 in Arlington Heights.
Both suspects are being held without bond.
Police say the three victims were targeted and there is no threat to the public.