Police, Sheriff Charge Teens in September Car Burglaries

Mokena Police have charged one teen and Will County Sheriff's officers two in .

Between Sept. 21 and 24, eight burglaries were reported involving vehicles parked on Adare Avenue, Foxfire Lane and Waterford Lane in Mokena. Most of the break-ins took place the night of Sept. 23 and the early morning of Sept. 24.

Although there was one car where someone tried to break the passenger side lock, all the burglarized cars were unlocked, said back in September.

"Car burglaries like these are happening because people aren't locking their cars and they are leaving valuables in plain sight," Will County Sheriff's spokesman Ken Kaupas said. "These aren't sophisticated criminals. They were simply participating in a crime of opportunity."

Also on the night of Sept. 23, there was a string of similar burglaries to unlocked cars in Frankfort Square. Thieves made off with a .25-caliber Beretta, including the pistol's magazine and six rounds of ammunition, from one car on West Grovewood Lane.

The gun's owner told sheriff's officers the car was locked, but deputies found no indication of forced entry, broken glass or damage to the car, sheriff's spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said in September.

Mokena police are pressing charges of criminal trespass to a vehicle against one of the juveniles who had confessed to the crime, Mokena Police Commander Dan Rankovich said.

have filed charges on two of three suspects involved in their case, Kaupas said. 

Charges on a third male, who is 17, are pending lab results, Kaupas said. It is unclear if he will be charged as a juvenile or an adult, Kaupas said.

The suspects' names are not being released due to their ages.