Joliet police detail nabs burglary suspects
By BRIAN STANLEY bstanley@stmedianetwork.com November 7, 2012 5:04PM
Officer Ed Johnson (left), Officer Michael Reilly (center) and Officer Michael DeVito (right), with the Joliet Police Department, talk about progress made in solving burglaries while in the Joliet Police Station Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at 150 W. Washington St. in Joliet. Photos from the Lockport Police Department of stolen property whose owners have not been identified can be seen on the table. | Matthew Grotto~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: December 13, 2012 6:06AM
Three Joliet police officers still are linking break-ins to separate recent arrests.
After designated zones have been filled on the day shift, Lt. Stephen Breen began using Officers Michael DeVito, Ed Johnson and Mike Reilly as a burglary detail after property crimes increased throughout the city in the past few months.
In the early morning of Oct. 25 items were taken from several unlocked cars in the Warwick subdivision and DeVito reportedly was given a tip that Sean Patrick, 20, was involved.
“I then found a citizen who had surveillance cameras in his yard that recorded Patrick checking the door of a vehicle,” DeVito said.
On Oct. 30, police went to Patrick’s residence, 1711 N. Autumn Drive, and received consent to search it, Reilly said.
“In his closet were several GPS units, other people’s I.D.s, a purse and wallet,” Reilly said. “He said he’d walked through the neighborhood checking 60 to 80 vehicles and only went into the dozen or so that were unlocked.”
Patrick allegedly thumbed through what he removed from each car on his walk and tossed it on the street if he didn’t want to keep it. He was jailed on three counts of burglary and released on $5,000 bail.
“He has been linked to other similar ‘carhopping’ sprees,” DeVito said.
About 4 p.m. Oct. 29, Patrol Officer Jason Camarda was flagged down on the far West Side “by a man who saw two kids walking through a field carrying a TV set,” Reilly said.
The teens reportedly dropped the television and two bookbags and fled when Camarda approached, but he recognized Jamie Lugo, 18. The other suspect is a 16-year-old Plainfield boy and police believed they had burglarized a house in the 2100 block of Ashby Court; taking the TV, a video game system, jewelry and cash.
Johnson said Trevion Staten, 18, retrieved the bookbags and brought them to the residence he shares with Lugo at 2101 Ashbrook Court.
“The homeowner allowed us to search their rooms as well as the garage and we found a handgun in Staten’s room and marijuana in the house,” Johnson said.
Police also reportedly found a computer, cameras and a bicycle reported stolen the day before from the 2000 block of Wesmere Lakes. An SUV was also taken during that burglary and was found abandoned Monday in the 2600 block of Canyon Drive.
“Staten is believed to be responsible for many other car burglaries as well,” Johnson said. He and Lugo were booked into the Kendall County Jail while the 16-year-old was sent to a juvenile detention center.
The burglary detail officers note some of the property they found wasn’t reported stolen until they recovered it.
“I think some people are reluctant to report a burglary when only petty stuff is taken because there’s no damage or need to make an insurance claim,” DeVito said.
“But that’s what helps us track and lock in what neighborhoods are being hit and even if you don’t need your report they can now be taken over the phone,” Johnson said.
Reilly noted all of the suspects he questioned said they targeted unlocked cars and wouldn’t bother breaking into locked vehicles.
“Makes too much noise ... could attract attention. They just move on to the next one,” he said.
