Burglar Targets Joliet Slammers, Case Solved With Arrest: JPD

JOLIET, IL — When it comes to the game of baseball, stealing is acceptable. You can steal second base, third base and even home plate, but the recent actions of 28-year-old Joliet resident Fairleigh Jones Jr. inside the Joliet Slammers ballpark, now called Duly Health and Care Field, were different, and that's why Jones was arrested by Joliet police on two burglary counts, arrest logs show.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, the following events, tracing back to last month, led to Wednesday night's arrest of the Joliet Township criminal suspect, who lives in the 0 to 100 block of East Zarley Boulevard, in the Preston Heights area:

• On the afternoon of May 12, Joliet police were needed at Duly Health and Care Field, 1 Mayor Art Schultz Drive, for a burglary. During the overnight hours of May 11-12, someone illegally entered the stadium by unknown means and stole electronics, clothing and sporting goods from the office and locker room areas in the stadium.

• Ten days later, around 9:10 a.m. on May 22, Joliet police learned of a second crime at Duly Health and Care Field. Once again, someone had illegally entered the stadium by unknown means. It is unknown what was taken during this burglary attempt.
• During the investigation, Joliet police detectives identified Jones as the suspect. On Wednesday, a warrant for his arrest was obtained through a Will County judge on the two burglary charges and bail for Jones was put at $250,000.
• By 10 p.m. Wednesday night, officers saw Jones walking around the downtown, near Cass Street and Chicago Street, and he was arrested and put in the Will County Jail.
• "No further information will be released as these cases remain under investigation," English announced in Thursday's press release.