For Immediate Release
July 15, 2015
Contact:
Deputy Chief Joe Gallo
217-403-6926
[email protected]
Police Make Two Overnight Burglary Arrests
On Tuesday, July 14, at approximately 11:49 PM, Police were dispatched to the 400 Block of E. Green Street for a reported residential burglary. Two subjects were reportedly seen fleeing from Green St with the stolen possessions, headed northbound. University of Illinois Police assisted and were able to apprehend one of the subjects, 37-year-old Ernest Robinson of Champaign, who was arrested on charges of Residential Burglary.
Upon arrest, Robinson was in possession of several items, including a flat screen television, a pair of speakers, a black jacket, and several keys with tags on them. The subject also attempted to steal other items from the home that were left stashed in the property’s alleyway. Included with those items was a metal box containing keys similar to those found on Robinson at his arrest. It was discovered that the metal box and tagged keys had also been stolen from a nearby property management company. Robinson is being held at the Champaign County Jail awaiting a court appearance. The other suspect has not been located.
The victims of this burglary were home at the time of the incident and one resident reported walking into the living room to find the sliding glass door ajar and two subjects directly outside of the home. The subjects immediately fled and the victims called Police. The victims shared that the sliding glass door was not locked at the time of the burglary.
In a separate event, on Wednesday, July 15 at 4:31 AM, Police were alerted to the 1900 Block of Alton Drive in Champaign for a reported motor vehicle burglary. Upon canvassing the area, Champaign Police located 23-year-old Douglas Lindsey of Champaign, who was in possession of several stolen items including an iPod and a baby diaper bag that were left in unlocked vehicles. Lindsey was arrested on charges of Burglary to a Motor Vehicle and Possession of Burglary Tools.
Deputy Police Chief Joe Gallo stated that officers will continue to do additional patrols and take a proactive response to the burglaries, yet also wants the public to assist by locking their doors to help prevent theft.
“The vast majority of the motor vehicle burglaries in both Champaign and Urbana are happening to unlocked vehicles,” stated Gallo. “We will absolutely do all that we can to investigate these crimes and recover the stolen items, yet we can’t stress enough how much locking your doors helps to keep your cars and homes safer from burglary. ”
To help protect your valuables, Police encourage the following safety tips:
Prevention Tips for Vehicles:
- Don’t leave vehicles running unoccupied
- Always lock your vehicle doors and take the keys with you when not in use, even in your driveway
- Do not leave unattended personal belongings in plain sight inside your vehicle, no matter where it is parked
- Install alarms and/or “kill switch” devices in vehicles
- When leaving your vehicle, remove GPS, Bluetooth, and other equipment from plain view and lock it in your trunk
- Don’t leave mail in your vehicle with the address label visible
- At night, always park your vehicle in a well-lit and visible place
Prevention Tips for Homes:
- Always lock exterior doors when you are at home
- Close all windows and lock all exterior doors when leaving your home
- Keep your garage door closed and locked. Always close garage doors after use
- Keep shrubs and bushes trimmed
- Secure any sliding doors. Make sure the lock is in working order. Place a steel rod in the door channel
- Don’t leave your property unattended, such as bicycles, or lawn equipment outside of your home
- Make sure the exterior of your house is well-lit at night to discourage burglars
- Keep records of serial numbers for valuables such as stereos, bicycles and sports equipment
- Purchase a home engraving kit to mark your property
- Consider a burglar alarm system
If you are the victim of a motor vehicle or home burglary, call the Police immediately to help the investigation process. Call Champaign Police at 217-351-4545.
If you are witness to a burglary or other crime and do not want to contact Police directly, anonymous tips can also be shared via Crime Stoppers: by phone at 217-373-8477 (TIPS); online at www.373tips.com; or by texting “CCTIP” plus the crime information to 274637 (CRIMES). Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest.