A man and four juveniles have been arrested and charged with burglarizing an abandoned home in Winthrop Harbor, law enforcement officials said.
Winthrop Harbor Police were called to the 300 block of Holdridge Avenue on March 16 for a suspicious vehicle, Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney Liz Cannon said during a court hearing on March 17.
She said police saw the suspicious vehicle parked in front of an abandoned property owned by the Bank of Waukegan.
Cannon said officers were checking the property when they heard voices inside the house talking about ammunition and firearms.
Winthrop Harbor Police said in a news release that surrounding agencies were called in for assistance due to safety reasons based on what was overheard from the voices inside the home.
Officers from Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Pleasant Prairie, and Zion arrived to assist, Winthrop Harbor Police said.
Police established a perimeter around the home, the release reads, and five individuals exited the residence.
Police said the one adult and four juveniles attempted to run from police but were taken into custody.
Police recovered a bag containing burglary tools and stolen property, police said.
Cannon said in court that $500 worth of items taken in the burglary were also recovered by police.
Cannon said Isaac Elisea Silver was charged with a Class 2 Felony count of burglary, a Class 4 felony of possession of burglary tools, and a misdemeanor count of criminal trespass.
The charges are not detainable under the Illinois Safety Act, Cannon said.
The age of Silver is unknown, as is his hometown.
During the court appearance Monday, Lake County Circuit Court Judge Michael Nerheim ordered Silver to remain on level three conditional release while awaiting trial.
Silver is ordered to not have any contact with the juveniles or return to the abandoned Winthrop Harbor property.
Silver is due back in court on April 22.
Police said the juveniles were charged with Class 2 felony counts of Residential Burglary, Class 4 felony counts of Possession of Burglary Tools, a Class 4 felony counts of Theft Over $500, and misdemeanor counts of Criminal Damage to Property and Criminal Trespass.
The juveniles were referred to the Robert W. Depke Juvenile Justice Center and later released to the custody of their parents, police said.
Future court dates for the juveniles are unknown.