Two sheriff’s canines, a drone and sheriff’s deputies tracked down and arrested a suspect who tried hiding in a culvert after allegedly burglarizing numerous vehicles in Beach Park Tuesday morning.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday to the 10000 block of West Ford Avenue in Beach Park after receiving reports that several unlocked vehicles had been burglarized.
Deputies were investigating when one victim learned someone was attempting to use her stolen credit card at a gas station near Sheridan Road and Wadsworth Road in Beach Park, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Chief Christopher Covelli.
Sheriff’s deputies immediately responded to the gas station but learned the suspect had already fled on a bicycle after the stolen credit card was declined.
Deputies obtained a description of the suspect and broadcast it to responding units, Covelli said.
A sheriff’s drone was launched and sheriff canines Simba and Lux were deployed to search the area.
Covelli said the search went on for 30 minutes and led to Simba locating the suspect, Adam Turner, 49, who has no permanent address, hiding inside a culvert beneath a roadway.
Turner was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division.
Sheriff’s detectives determined Turner was also responsible for a burglary that occurred on Monday at a business in the 37700 block of North Sheridan Road in Beach Park, Covelli said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and approved charges against Turner of burglary, five counts of burglary to motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a credit card, identity theft, two counts of theft, six counts of criminal trespass to motor vehicle and criminal damage to property.
Turner also had an active arrest warrant for two counts of failure to register as a sex offender and one count of living with 500 feet of a school.
“This arrest is the result of outstanding teamwork between our patrol deputies, K9 teams, drone operators, detectives, and the State’s Attorney’s Office. When someone victimizes our residents, we will use every available resource to locate them, hold them accountable, and help prevent additional crimes,” Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.
Turner is scheduled to appear in First Appearance Court on Wednesday morning.