Crime & Safety
Elmhurst Stolen Urn Case Arrest Made
Harvey man's bond set at $750,000. He is accused of breaking into house and stealing urn and coin collection.
ELMHURST, IL — A Harvey man has been charged in the burglary of an Elmhurst house where an urn containing the ashes of the victim's baby was stolen, authorities announced Saturday afternoon. His bond was set at $750,000.
Glenn Addison, 66, was charged with residential burglary. He was on parole for a 2014 burglary and is eligible for an increased sentence because of his criminal history, police said in a news release. At a hearing this morning, DuPage County Judge Jeff MacKay signed an order releasing the urn to the family.
On Dec. 9, Elmhurst police received a call about the burglary in the 200 block of Melrose Avenue, with the victim saying the urn and a coin collection were stolen, police said. The break-in happened in the middle of the day. On Dec. 18, Addison was arrested and taken into custody without any problems from his home in Harvey, according to the news release.
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“The allegation that Mr. Addison broke into his victims’ home and stole valuables, including a coin collection, is unacceptable and will be met with the full force of the law,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. “To make matters worse, however, it is alleged that Mr. Addison stole the couple’s only connection to their deceased son, an urn containing their son’s ashes, which if lost could never be replaced. Thankfully, due to the truly outstanding work of the Elmhurst Police Department, the urn containing the ashes of the couple’s infant son will be returned to the family home."
In the statement, Police Chief Michael Ruth praised his department's investigators. He said it was officers' "sincerest hope" to reunite the child's remains with the family to bring them "peace and closure."
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The LeDeur family in Elmhurst said the cremated remains were of their son, Billy, who died when he was 10 days old, according to ABC7 Chicago.
"His ashes and the small memorial, that's all we have," Sue LeDeur told the station.
Addison's next court appearance is set for Jan. 6 in front of Judge Liam Brennan.
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