Aurora Car Burglaries: Police Find Common Connections

AURORA, IL – Aurora neighborhoods have experienced a string of car burglaries in the past few days, including the Near Southeast Side, where five males, all juveniles, were seen checking for unlocked cars between 9:30 p.m. Nov. 3 and 8:30 p.m. Nov. 4. All were within the 700 blocks of Lebanon, Lafayette and Jackson Streets, and also at Lafayette and Evans, according to a press release from the Aurora Police Department. Police say it’s clear that many of the following crimes were committed by the same person or people, and all of the vehicles were unlocked:

A vehicle was burgled between midnight at 8 a.m. Nov. 4 in the 2300 block of Portsmouth. Police do not have any suspects.

Nov. 6, 21-year-old Calvin Jones was caught in the act trying to steal from a pickup truck. Police received a tip that someone was checking door handles at 2 a.m. in the 300 block of S. Ashland. Jones, who is homeless, was charged with one count of burglary.

A 16-year-old Chicago boy was found with a cell phone that was allegedly taken from a vehicle parked at Ashland and Watson Nov. 1. The suspect was arrested for burglarizing a car in Batavia, but the victim in Aurora didn’t press charges.

An unsuccessful burglary in the 400 block of S. East Ave. still caused $1,200 worth of damage. The incident happened between 11 p.m. Nov. 1 and 6 a.m. the following day.

In the West Side, around the same time, a wallet and cash were taken from a car in the 600 block of N. May, and more cash and electronics were taken from a car in the 500 block of N. View.

Halloween night, a wallet and cash were taken from a car at Downer and LeGrande. That same night, other vehicles on the West Side were burgled between 1 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. in the 700 block of Garfield and between 5:20 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the 900 block of N. Lake. A separate Halloween incident occurred around 5:40 p.m., when a homeowner caught a man checking his car’s door handle in the 200 block of Vine St.

Not too far away, two unlocked vehicles were entered between 10 p.m. Oct. 29 and 7:30 a.m. Oct. 30 in the 100 block of S. Russell. Tools taken from one of the vehicles were found in a neighboring yard, according to Aurora Police.

An unlocked vehicle was entered between 7 p.m. Oct. 28 and 9:45 a.m. Oct. 29 in the 800 block of N. Lake.
Between 4:30 p.m. Oct. 26 and 7:30 a.m. Oct. 27, several vehicles had their car batteries stolen while parked in a lot in the 1300 block of N. Dearborn. Police don’t know much about the suspects, just that they were two men, one between 5’7” and 5’10.” Around the same time frame, a wallet was taken from an unlocked vehicle in the 300 block of N. Root.

A credit card was taken from a car parked at the 2300 block of Twilight Dr. was found in Lamar Russell’s possession. The 25-year-old is facing a felony count of unlawful possession of a stolen credit card. He was taken into custody Oct. 28.

Cash and electronics were taken from unlocked vehicles between 7 p.m. Oct. 25 and 6:30 a.m. Oct. 26 in the 1500 block of Brighton Circle; between 5 p.m. Oct 24 and 7:15 a.m. Oct. 25 in the 500 block of Ryegrass Court; between 5 p.m. Oct. 23 and 7 a.m. Oct. 24 in the 400 block of Florida; between 9:30 and 10 p.m. Oct. 22 at Nantucket and Indian Trail; and between 11 p.m. Oct. 21 and 10 a.m. Oct. 22 in the 700 block of S. Union.

Police urge people to lock their vehicles and call in any suspicious behavior, like people checking door handles.

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