A resident was left fleeing for help after a man broke into his home while armed with an axe and destroyed the residence near Lake Villa, prosecutors said.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 11:29 a.m. on November 16 to the 39400 block of North Park Avenue in unincorporated Lake Villa for a report of a home invasion.
Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Vukovich said the male victim reported his neighbor was inside his residence destroying his belongings with an axe.
Deputies learned Pawel Baginski, 41, of Lake Villa, smashed in the side sliding glass door of the home with an axe to gain entry, Vukovich said.
Vukovich said Baginski damaged a wooden desk, a flat-screen television, the wall behind the television, a dishwasher, cabinets and a bathroom.
The resident heard the commotion and came downstairs to find Baginski damaging the items.
He asked Baginski what he was doing and Baginski continued to walk through the house smashing items with the axe, Vukovich said.
The victim fled from the residence and Baginski allegedly continued damaging the property.
Deputies arrested Baginski and the man admitted to committing the crime and said he believed his neighbor was messing with his things, Vukovich said.
Vukovich said Baginski is known to the police and is believed to have mental health issues.
Deputies recovered the axe involved from Baginski’s garage after witnesses saw the man exiting the victim’s home and returning to his own garage with the weapon.
Baginski was charged with home invasion, residential burglary and criminal trespass.
Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted a petition to detain Baginski pending trial after agreeing with prosecutors that he poses a real and present danger to others.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 10 in the case.