Burglar On Bicycle Busted At New Lenox Wendy's

NEW LENOX, IL - A 20-year-old man from South Chicago Heights is now at the Will County Jail after New Lenox Police say he was caught in the act of burglarizing the Wendy's restaurant shortly before 3 a.m. Thursday. The man charged with the burglary, Devin Edwards, also happens to be a former employee of the Wendy's restaurant. Police say he broke into the fast-food restaurant by using the drive-thru window. Edwards has been charged with possessing burglary tools and one count of burglary.

Deputy Police Chief Lou Alessandrini told New Lenox Patch that Edwards was caught in the act and that he was cooperative with the police once they found him inside the manager's office at the Wendy's shortly before 3 a.m. "He admitted to his wrongdoing," Alessandrini said. "He cooperated and was taken into custody without incident."

Officer also took Edwards' bicycle into custody. Alessandrini said the burglary suspect rode his bicycle to New Lenox from South Chicago Heights where he lives.

According to New Lenox Police, officers responded to a burglar alarm going off at the Wendy's around 2:40 a.m. The business is at 2340 E. Lincoln Highway. Once on the scene, officers saw the rear door was ajar and broken glass.

"Once inside, officers determined that the offender was still in the building and noise was heard coming from the manager’s office. A male black subject wearing all black clothing and gloves was located in the manager’s office. The offender, 20 year old Devin M. Edwards of South Chicago Heights, was taken into custody without further incident," police said.

According to New Lenox Police, "officers and investigators learned that Edwards made entry into the business by breaking a drive thru window. A backpack belonging to Edwards was found on scene and it contained, scissors, plastic hand cuffs, a baseball bat and a basketball net. It was learned that Edwards planned on using the bat and scissors to threaten an employee to open the safe, and the cuffs or basketball net to restrain the employee if necessary."

Police say that Edwards had worked at the New Lenox Wendy's in 2017. He currently resides on West 27th Street in South Chicago Heights. He will now appear before a Will County judge for a bail hearing.

Mugshot of Devin Edwards via New Lenox Police Department