Footprints In The Snow Lead To Burglary Suspects
EVANSTON, Ill. (STMW) - Footprints in the snow Tuesday afternoon led police to three suspected burglars -- two 18-year-olds and a 16-year-old boy -- in Evanston.
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Evanston police were notified at 12:27 p.m. of a burglary in progress in the 800 block of Hartrey Avenue in the near north suburb, a release from police said. Once on scene officers spoke with a witness who said he saw three males run from the area, one of whom was carrying a television. Responding officers examined the crime scene and were able to identify footprints in the snow leading from the scene.
Officers began to follow these footprints, which led them to a residence in the 2200 block of Madison Place, about a block away. Officers then received additional information from witnesses pertaining to three males who had been acting suspicious, the release said. Officers responded to this residence and noticed footprints leading to this residence and stopping, indicating that whomever those footprint belonged to had entered that residence.
Additional responding Evanston Police units arrived and set up a perimeter. Officers were then able to see into the residence and observed a male running throughout the residence. Police were able to get inside this residence, and began a search of the premise. While doing so, officers were alerted to suspicious noises coming from the attic. They investigated these sounds and determined that the offenders were within the attic.
The officers then began talking with the suspects, who eventually followed the officer's commands, resulting in their surrender and arrest. Officers determined that one of the three's relatives lived in this house, and that's how the suspects were able to enter the residence. Officers recovered various proceeds at the scene, including purses and jewelry, from the offenders.
The three arrested were 18-year-olds Jamir Johnson and Michael Smith, and a 16-year-old male, a juvenile, the release said. In their investigation, detectives obtained information and evidence from all three subjects in the residential burglary that occurred on the 800 block of Hartrey, which they were seen fleeing from.
Smith, of 1633 McDaniel in Evanston, and Johnson, of 2209 Madison in Evanston, were each charged with one felony count of residential burglary, the release said.
The juvenile in this case was also charged with residential burglary and will be petitioned to juvenile court.
Smith is scheduled to appear for a hearing at Skokie courthouse at 9 a.m. on Feb. 7 and Johnson is scheduled to appear for a hearing at the Skokie courthouse at 9 a.m. on Feb. 1, police said.
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