WCSO Press Releases

    The Will County Sheriff’s Office is reminding residents to lock your vehicle doors whenever you are away from it.  Together, with municipal law enforcement agencies, the Sheriff’s Office is on high alert to combat the frequent reports that we are receiving for burglaries to unlocked vehicles.  Police believe that there are several crews of offenders working in areas throughout the county with no noticeable pattern.  Because of the speed in which these crimes happen, it is very difficult for law enforcement to catch them.  We would like to reiterate to the public that if you see any suspicious vehicle or suspicious person in your neighborhood, please call the Sheriff’s Office or your municipal police department.  Although police have increased their efforts in patrolling neighborhoods, the residents who live there can be a key factor in alerting police early on to potential offenders in their areas.   

    The Sheriff’s Office would also like to remind citizens not to leave their vehicles running without being inside of them.  Several vehicles have been stolen in recent months when the owner started the vehicle to let it warm up and re-entered their home.  Within a matter of seconds, the vehicle was gone.  This also means if your vehicle is parked inside your garage with the garage door open. 

    FACT:   Burglary to a motor vehicle is a crime of opportunity.  That is to say, this crime takes literally seconds, the rewards can be great, and the chances of being caught are low.

    FACT:  It only takes literally seconds to lock your vehicle in order to decrease your risk of becoming a victim, keeping your property, and not having to deal with insurance companies and law enforcement.

    It seems like common sense yet we continue to receive reports from victims on a consistent basis.

 Here are some simple reminders/tips:

1)     - Lock It Up!   Whether your vehicle is outside or inside a garage.  Lock It!

2)     - Tidy It Up!  Thieves do not know what’s inside the bags you have in your car, but they are willing to steal it and anything else that may be inside your vehicle.

3)      -Put away phone chargers, electronic cords/cases.  These are items that let the thief know that you may have, or do have, valuable electronics inside.

4)     - If you are out shopping, put purchased items in your trunk and bring it inside when you get home.   

5)      -Roll those windows all the way up.

6)     - Park in well-lit areas.  Keep outside lights on at night. 

 None of these tips are 100% guaranteed but taking a few seconds or minutes from your day may greatly decrease your risk of becoming a victim.  Every vehicle left unlocked is an open invitation to thieves.     –end-

The Will County Sheriff’s Investigation Division is actively seeking four individuals who are suspected of being involved in an early morning home invasion at a residence located in the 25000 block of S. 80^th Avenue in Monee Township.  Yesterday, July 30, 2018, around 6am, an elderly female exited her master bedroom after she heard what she believed to be someone trying to open the front door of her home.  The woman’s elderly husband was still asleep at the time. When the woman entered the hallway, she was met by a male black subject with a hood over his head.  The subject was pointing a handgun at her and told her to “Give us your money and phones.”

The woman complied and turned over some cash, a wallet, one wireless phone, and her cell phone.   While she was gathering the items, she also observed three other male black subjects enter her residence and go into other areas of the house.  The subject then instructed the woman to go into her bedroom and not to come out.  Upon leaving the residence, the offenders stole the couples 2009 Ford Edge SUV.   The woman waited a few minutes and called the police with a phone that was not taken by the offenders.  The woman, nor her husband, were injured in the incident.   

When Sheriff’s deputies arrived they used cell phone GPS in an attempt to locate the offenders.    In a coordinated effort with Chicago Police Department, they were able to locate the stolen vehicle within an hour of it being stolen.  The vehicle was located on the 7100 block of Paulina in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago.  Along with that vehicle, Chicago Police and Will County detectives were able to locate two additional vehicles that had recently been stolen from Crete and Chicago.  All three vehicles were parked on the street in that neighborhood. 

With additional assistance from Chicago detectives, four potential suspects have been identified.  The Will County Sheriff’s Investigation Division continues to aggressively work this investigation. 

More information will be shared when details become available. 

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Will County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched Saturday, April 29th, at 2:38pm, to the BP Gas Station located at 29849 SE Frontage Road, Wilmington Township, for a report that they had been robbed.  Upon arriving, deputies spoke with a 22 year old male employee who stated that three male black subjects pulled up to the entrance of the store and exited a newer model Nissan or Kia SUV.  The men entered the store, with one of them staying just inside the front door.  

Once inside, all three subjects pulled out black handguns and yelled to the employee not to move and to "Give me all your money".  One of the subjects then went behind the counter and pointed a gun at the employee's head.  The employee was told not to move while the other subject jumped over the counter and began removing currency from the cash register.  The employee was then instructed to retrieve a key for the safe and after doing so he was told to sit on the ground.  After the subjects removed currency and  checks they took the employees cell phone, stole some Dutch Masters cigars, and instructed the employee to remain on the floor for a few minutes.

The employee was shaken up but not injured and refused medical attention.  The offenders were all described as being about 180 to 220lbs. and between 6'0" and 6'4" in height. Two were wearing black sweatshirts and one was wearing a red sweatshirt with a green bandana over his face.  

While still on the scene deputies advised other law enforcement agencies of the details they had collected. Dwight Police advised that they had an armed robbery in their jurisdiction around 1:41pm.  It had also occurred at a gas station.  The description of the offenders matched in both robberies.  

Anyone with information on this robbery, or if you believe you can identify any of the suspects or the vehicle, please call the Will County Sheriff's Office at 815-727-8575.

(Four photos attached)

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