A man suspected of committing a series of overnight burglaries earlier this week in River Forest is in police custody.
River Forest Police Chief Gregory Weiss said in a press release that Stefon Booker, 23, is suspected of burglarizing three homes while the victims were sleeping and attempting to break into two others, June 14-16.
Property stolen in two of the burglaries included laptop computers, televisions and other electronics, according to police.
Officers were able to track one of the stolen computers to a location on Chicago’s West Side. While gathering information in the burglaries, officers observed a vehicle that had been stopped in River Forest on an unrelated matter. They also were able to track down an item stolen from one of the residences that was later pawned.
All the evidence ultimately pointed to Booker, who was pulled over and arrested on June 16, police said.
Following Booker’s arrest, officers were able to locate where most of the burglarized items were held, including golf clubs that were stolen previously from an automobile in River Forest.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved several felony charges against Booker, including two charges of Class 1 Residential Burglary and one charge of Class 4 Criminal Trespass to Residence.
“I cannot say enough about the officers involved in this case. From the initial officers who responded to the call of a resident startled by a stranger in their house, to the officers who collected evidence at the crime scenes,” Weiss said in the press release.
The arrest follows a community alert sent to River Forest residents earlier this week warning of a rash of residential burglaries since the middle of May.
Weiss said in that alert that there have been six residential burglaries reported in the village since mid-May. The email was prompted, according to Weiss, by “a group of burglaries being reported on June 15 and 16.”
Police say there’s a pattern to some of the incidents. Four burglaries have taken place in the 500 and 600 blocks of Keystone Avenue.
Separately, burglaries have occurred in the 1300 block of Ashland Avenue and the 1100 block of Harlem Avenue.
In several of the burglaries, entry has been gained through unlocked doors, said police. Items taken from the homes have included electronics, purses and “other items of value.”
Weiss said residents should take care to lock their doors at night and set house alarms, if available.
“Turn on exterior lights. Keep a phone nearby so you can call the police immediately,” said Weiss. “Record serial numbers or take photographs of high-value items. Mark items with an identifier that only you can identify if it is recovered.”
Weiss said River Forest police have increased overnight patrols, including officers in unmarked vehicles.