Arrests Made In 3 New Lenox Smash-And-Grabs As Mayor Blasts Governor & State For Approach To Crime

NEW LENOX, IL — New Lenox police continue to fight the growing trend of smash-and-grabs targeting businesses with gaming machines, with arrests made in several since the spring, Mayor Tim Baldermann said Tuesday.

As crews continue to hit New Lenox businesses—Tru Country Bar & Grill, JBD White Horse Inn, Vino Gaming Café and Reunion were targeted recently, some more than once—Baldermann said several cases have been "cleared" with the arrests. Baldermann said Sept. 1 that the town has seen 13 smash-and-grabs to date this year—that number rose to 14 with the Tru Country incident on Sept. 3.

Three men—Devontay Brady, 30, of Maywood; Anthony Shorter, 23, of Bellwood; and Don Williams, 20, of Chicago—were arrested in connection with three incidents in New Lenox this year, Baldermann said. Those burglaries included one at Hog Wild on April 2, another at Williamson's on May 7 and one at Comise's on July 2.

The three men were linked individually or in some combination to one or more of the three local incidents, in addition to others in the suburbs and Cook County, Baldermann told Patch.

"Here’s all you need to know: between these 3 criminals, they have 27 prior arrests with 12 convictions," Baldermann told residents on social media. "The arrests are for: weapons offenses, drug offenses, stolen vehicles, burglaries, theft, and fraud."

Charges for Brady

• 1 count felony theft over $100,000
• 9 counts of felony burglary
• 3 counts of felony unlawful possession of a weapon, repeat felony offender
• 2 counts of felony armed violence

Charges for Shorter

• 1 count of felony theft over $100,000
• 11 counts of felony burglary
• 3 counts of felony unlawful possession of a weapon, repeat felony offender
• 2 counts of felony armed violence

Charges for Williams

• 1 count of felony theft over $100,000
• 11 counts of felony burglary
• 3 counts of felony unlawful possession of a weapon, repeat felony offender
• 2 counts of felony armed violence

As smash-and-grabs continue in New Lenox and across the suburbs—with Tru Country Bar & Grill hit early Thursday morning and JBD White Horse Inn targeted on Monday—residents are questioning if gaming machines are needed inside local businesses.

Baldermann, however, says local businesses at least somewhat rely on the revenue to stay afloat. The Village still requires, too, that businesses with gaming machines gain at least 50 percent of their revenue from non-gaming sources. The machines, though, can give a financial boost.

"People have no idea what it takes to make it as a small business nowadays," Baldermann told Patch. "The cost of goods, lack of people coming out to shop, not spending due to the economy."

Baldermann spoke to the size of New Lenox and the speed with which the crews work.

"They’re in and out of there in a minute-and-a-half to two minutes, often," he said. "We’ve got police officers out there, but we’re 43 square miles. We want police officers where people are, where they’re sleeping, to keep them safe. How are police officers supposed to patrol businesses and all the streets."

New Lenox Police Chief Micah Nuesse echoed concerns on how easily the burglaries happen.

"These crimes can be committed quickly and with relatively little effort," Nuesse said. "Offenders are taking advantage of opportunity to enter, steal property, and leave quickly. Further, the trend is difficult to combat when offenders who are caught, are not held accountable, and are able to continue committing similar crimes."

FLOCK cameras around town can be helpful in tracking suspects, Baldermann said, but many times, they're using stolen vehicles or vehicles without plates. The Village has approved protective roll-down shutters for use by businesses to prevent break-ins, Baldermann said, but they can be costly.

"We’ve approved security shutters that look aesthetically pleasing, that just come down at night," he said. "If the businesses are willing to put them in—and they’re not cheap—they will stop entry from anyone trying to get in."

Nuesse said there are steps business owners can take to be less vulnerable.

"Businesses can improve exterior lighting, surveillance cameras, alarms, and physical barriers, such as interior roll down security shutters, around entrances and windows," he said.

Baldermann said he's frustrated the business owners are footing the bill left behind by what he calls a state soft on crime.

"Everyone’s missing the point," he said. "Why should private business owners have to be spending extra money when we see time and time again it is almost always the the same scumbag criminals, usually out of Cook County—repeat offenders not doing jail time."

Though he called it a non-partisan issue, Baldermann called out Gov. JB Pritzker, specifically, for his approach to crime.

"We have the weakest governor in the country when it comes to crime," he said. "We’re trying to appease every criminal, while penalizing every law-abiding citizen and business owner."

Citing the SAFE-T Act, Baldermann questioned the efficacy of Illinois' laws around crime.

"The constraints that this SAFE-T Act has put on prosecutors and judges are ridiculous," he said. "In Cook County, they don’t want to put anyone in jail."

Baldermann pointed to the trend of carjackings and vehicle thefts in past years as evidence that suspects travel from surrounding counties to commit crimes.

"These are some of the same scumbags that are coming into the town and stealing cars," he said. "I’m just sick of it. I’m sick of law-abiding people having to pay the price because we live in a state that is incredibly soft on crime and protects criminals over law-abiding citizens."

Eliminating gaming machines misses the point, Baldermann said.

"Why should it be the law-abiding people who continue to have to make all the sacrifices when the scumbags are protected by this governor and this legislature?" he said.

"What chance do law abiding citizens and business owners have when scum like this are allowed to prey on us repeatedly with no consequences?"

Police continue to work with business owners to solve burglaries and prevent future ones.

"The department is dedicating resources to investigate these incidents, identify those responsible, and hold offenders accountable," Nuesse said. "We are working with affected businesses, reviewing available information, and coordinating with neighboring agencies when cases cross jurisdictional boundaries."