Police in Vernon Hills are warning residents after a man broke into six homes early Sunday morning while the residents were sleeping inside.
The Vernon Hills Police Department said that two of the burglaries occurred in the Centennial Crossing subdivision off of Route 45, three occurred in the Stone Fence Farm subdivision and one occurred in the Hawthorn Club subdivision.
“The police investigation of these crimes indicated that at five of the homes the offender entered through an unlocked sliding door,” Vernon Hills Chief of Police Patrick L. Kreis said.
In one of the burglaries, the suspect entered through an unlocked garage service door and then through the unlocked door leading into the home. In each of the five burglaries there were residents sleeping inside the home at the time.
None of the residents were injured or confronted by the suspect, police said. The suspect took purses, wallets and other personal items that were near the door.
Investigators released a video still image of the suspect. Police said the surveillance video showed him trying to open a locked door.
The suspect is described as a light-skinned black or Hispanic male in his mid-to-late 20s. He was wearing a light colored jacket, a beanie-type hat with a brim and possibly outdoor hiking-type shoes.
“Police remind everyone to be diligent about checking all doors and windows before going to bed. Police also recommend the use of exterior lighting on all doors. Such lighting can be accomplished with timers, motion detectors, and light bulbs/fixtures using dusk-to-dawn technology,” Chief Kreis said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Vernon Hills Police Department at 847-247-4883.