'Disgruntled Employee' Accused Of Burglarizing Take 5 Oil Change Stations

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL—A Chicago Ridge man accused of breaking into various oil change places turned himself in last week at the Palos Heights Police Department. Javier Cano, 31, is charged with felony attempted burglary and burglary.

On Oct. 3, Palos Heights police officers responded to Take 5 Oil Change near 128th Street and Harem Avenue. A passerby reported seeing a person dropped off behind the business by a vehicle that immediately left the area.

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When officers arrived, they discovered three unlocked doors and a broken glass pane in an overhead door. The manager responded to the scene. He confirmed that no one had entered the building. Officers were also advised by the manager that a disgruntled employee had been terminated several days earlier.

The next day, Sunday, Oct. 4, another burglary occurred at the same Take 5 Oil Change location. Police determined that some used a key to enter the building, where money was taken from a locked office before leaving the scene.

Surveillance footage from Take 5 and neighboring businesses captured a male suspect approaching the business on foot. The suspect's distinctive tattoos appeared consistent with those of the former employee.

Investigators subsequently learned that similar incidents had occurred at Take 5 Oil Change locations in Evergreen Park and Midlothian on the same dates. Surveillance footage and still images from the incidents were shared among investigators. The footage captured the same man, later identified as Cano wearing the same clothing, in all five incidents, police said.

Investigators presented the surveillance footage and still images to Take 5 employees and members of the suspect's family, who they said positively identified Cano, of the 10300 block of McVicker in Chicago Ridge. Family members also reported that Cano had left home wearing the same clothing depicted in the footage.

A search warrant for Cano's cellular telephone records was obtained for the dates of the burglaries. Police said records placed Cano's phone at all three Take 5 Oil Change locations during the respective dates and times of the reported incidents.

Cano turned himself in Oct. 22 at the Palos Heights Police Department. The cases were presented to the Cook County State's Attorney, who approved felony charges. Cano was released with instructions to appear at the Bridgeview Courthouse.