A 37-year-old man was arrested after being tracked down by a canine after he allegedly committed a car burglary at an apartment building in Vernon Hills and fled from officers.
Nicholas M. Ahrens, 37, who is a transient, was charged with burglary, resisting a peace officer and use of an unissued credit or debit card.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Manuel Mandujano said officers were dispatched to the victim’s apartment at the MilTon Luxury Apartments in the 1100 block of Museum Boulevard in Vernon Hills.
The victim reported Wednesday their key fob and debit card were missing.
Surveillance video showed Ahrens and a female entering the building and a garage, Mandujano said.
Ahrens was seen on video entering the victim’s 2020 Volkswagen Passat, Mandujano said. The key fob and debit card were inside the unlocked car.
The debit card was used four times, including once at a Casey’s store where Ahrens was accused of buying two pieces of pizza and a pack of cigarettes.
Officers were at the store when they, along with the clerk, spotted Ahrens.
He was wearing a distinctive sweater that they recognized from the surveillance video, Mandujano said.
Officers approached Ahrens and he fled on foot before eventually being arrested when he was tracked down by a canine.
Ahrens was found in possession of the victim’s key fob and the purchased cigarettes, Mandujano said. He also had a knife and screwdriver in his possession.
Ahrens had active warrants out of Cook County, McHenry County and Blount County, Tennesee. Some of the warrants were for burglary.
Lake County Judge Theodore Potkonjak ordered Ahrens held on a $300,000 bond.
Ahrens remains held in the Lake County Jail and would need to post $30,000 cash in order to be released.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 7.