Thief In Stolen Car Caught Burglarizing Romeoville Business: Cops

ROMEOVILLE, IL — A Chicago man faces multiple felonies after being arrested with a car full of stolen goods, Romeoville police said. Dmario Gatlin, 24, of the 600 block of East 69th Street, was sitting in a car near the loading dock of a business in the 1300 block of Enterprise Drive in the early morning hours of Sept. 6 when officers on patrol spotted him. Romeoville Police Cmdr. John Ferdinardo said when officers drove up to the vehicle Gatlin was driving, he took off, fleeing at a high rate of speed.

Officers ended the pursuit and returned to the area of the loading dock, where they found a cardboard box with a compressor inside, according to police. Employees at the business confirmed the compressor belonged to the company and should not have been sitting outside, Ferdinardo said.

After fleeing, Gatlin didn't get far, according to police. Ferdinardo said Bolingbrook police found the vehicle he'd been driving in the 100 block of Crossroads Parkway, and Gatlin was located nearby. According to Will County jail records, the car Gatlin was driving was stolen.

Boxes of merchandise from the Romeoville business were in the car, police said. According to Ferdinardo, employees at the business did not recognize Gatlin and had no record of him working there. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

It's not known how he got inside and made off with the stolen items, according to police. Ferdinardo said although the business has surveillance cameras, police do not have any video of Gatlin entering the building.

Gatlin was transported to the Will County jail and booked on charges of aggravated fleeing/21 mph over the speed limit, reckless driving, burglary, disregarding a stop sign, disobeying a traffic-control device or officer, using windshield wipers without headlights and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Bond information for Gatlin was not available on Thursday, when he was due to appear in court.

Dmario Gatlin/Will County Sheriff's Office