CubeSmart Burglary Leads To Ex-Employee's Arrest

JOLIET, IL — A 20-year-old Joliet resident faces burglary charges in connection with a late night crime at the CubeSmart self-storage business at 305 South Larkin Ave. Additionally, the car Joliet Police suspect was used by Michael Warren to commit his crimes, a 1995 Acura Integra, is now the subject of a Will County police forfeiture action, documents state.

According to court records, three Joliet Police officers were called to the Cubesmart business at 10 a.m. on June 2. Someone had cut a hole in the main lobby door. Additionally, the gate video surveillance program was deleted. The business manager told Joliet Police that "she had video of an employee by the name of Michael Warren committing a previous theft. With this information, Officers Rodelo and Matichak went to Warren's residence for a possible apprehension," court papers state.

When the police arrived at the house, Warren's father told the officers that Michael was still sleeping. He let the Joliet Police inside.

"Upon entering the residence and entering into Michael's room, Officer Matichak observed an open backpack adjacent to Michael. The backpack contained a package stamped with the CubeSmart logo. The backpack also contained a ski mask, gloves and black hat covered in sawdust and a blue digital camera," court documents reflect.

The forfeiture complaint indicates Michael Warren told the Joliet Police officers he "had really screwed up." Warren resides in the 100 block of Joliet's Margaret Street, jail logs show.

According to court records, "Michael admitted to taking money reference the prior theft, as well as gaining entry into CubeSmart overnight where he removed numerous items in hopes of selling them in order to buy a car ... Michael stated that while cutting the door, the saw dies, so he used a saw bit to continue to continue to make enough of a hole to fit his wrist through to reach in and open the door."

Court documents also inform the judge that "Michael admitted that the ski mask, gloves and black hat covered in sawdust located inside his backpack were worn by him during the incident. Further, Michael advised that a blue digital camera also located within his backpack belonged to CubeSmart and was taken by him from the front desk area of the business."

A court hearing on the police forfeiture of the Acura Integra is set for Sept. 11.