Burglary Suspects Remain Jailed, Police Release More Details of Arrests

The three people charged with burglarizing a Huntley nail salon remained in the McHenry County jail Wednesday as more details emerged about the arrests that left one officer injured.

Huntley Police Chief John Perkins said the officer injured his leg and shoulder when one of the suspects ran into him. The officer is currently on leave but is expected to make a full recovery, he said

Police were staking out Julie’s Nail Salon, 10428 Route 47, around 3 am because it had been burglarized twice in the last few months, Deputy Chief Todd Fulton said Wednesday.

The suspects, identified as Jameil D. Houser, 25, and Xavier S. Oaks, 22, both of Chicago, were caught breaking a window and trying to take a flat screen TV, Fulton said.

The officer was injured as the two fled through a backdoor and into an alley, Perkins said.

The two were caught a short time later. Houser faces two counts burglary, a Class 2 felony, possession of burglary tools, a Class 4 felony and misdemeanor theft, according to reports.

Houser is being held on $66,000 bail at the McHenry County jail, authorities said.

Oaks is charged with two counts of burglary. His bond was set at $50,000, sheriff’s deputies said.

A third person, Michelle Seawood, 26, of Chicago, also was charged with two counts of burglary. She was arrested in a waiting car, police said. Her bail was set at $15,000, sheriff’s deputies said.

Why the three chose a nail salon in Huntley to burglarize is unknown, but such burglaries have been on the increase in northern Illinois, Fulton said.

There have been between 40 to 50 similar incidents reported in surrounding towns in the last few months, Perkins said. The latest was in Oak Brook Terrace on Monday, he said.

“It’s an easy target,” Perkins said. “Most (salons) don’t have alarms, most have a little cash and most have flat screen TVs.” The burglars can get away with two or three television sets then sell each for a couple hundred dollars, the chief said, adding, it’s “not a bad night’s work” for a burglar.

Huntley police were able to link the Houser and Oaks to the two previous burglaries at the nail salon but continue to investigate whether the two are responsible for other burglaries, Fulton said. Detectives are working with other agencies to investigate any possible links, he said.

Perkins said the nail salon investigation was “an amazing bit of teamwork between detectives, officers and the different agencies involved.”