A 19-year-old man was charged with burglary after a group of four people were seen trying to break into cars in a Vernon Hills neighborhood early Sunday morning.
Michael J. Corcoran, 19, of the 1600 block of 10th Street in Winthrop Harbor, was charged with one count of burglary from motor vehicle.
The Vernon Hills Police Department responded around 3:15 a.m. Sunday to Basswood Drive and Ashwood Court in the Westwood subdivision of Vernon Hills.
A resident called 911 after seeing four people pulling on car door handles in the area, the Vernon Hills Police Department said. Responding police officers located the four subjects one block away.
“While speaking with the subjects, an officer learned that one of them had in his possession a large quantity of various coins (USC) and various other small personal items,” the police department said in a press release.
Police observed that some parked vehicles in the area appeared to have been entered and had their glove compartments open.
One parked vehicle was found with the driver’s door ajar and the owner of the vehicle told police that coins had been removed from it.
Corcoran was taken into custody and appeared in bond court on Monday. He remains held in the Lake County Jail on a $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
Police are continuing to investigate, adding that at least four vehicles had been entered and none of them had been locked.
“This incident highlights the importance of calling 911 immediately when seeing someone or something suspicious” Vernon Hills Police Chief Patrick Kreis said.
“Had we not been called, it’s possible that many more vehicles might have been burglarized. It’s also a good reminder to keep your vehicle locked at all times, especially overnight.”