Employee Hears Pitter Patter on Rooftop, Finds Burglars Trying to Get In: Police

BATAVIA, IL - An employee at an Ace Hardware in Batavia heard the pitter patter of foot steps on the rooftop of the business this past week, but it wasn’t jolly old Saint Nick who was trying to get in.

The employee heard people walking on the rooftop of the store, located at 1901 W. Wilson St., at about 9:50 p.m. on Dec. 16. Upon further investigation, he saw that the roof access door panel was moving and someone was trying to force it open from the outside, according to Batavia Police Department press release.

He called police who responded and established a perimeter around the building. They found a man in dark clothing holding a ladder against the rear wall of the business and another man, also in dark clothing, was climbing down the ladder.

Christian Dean Seidelman, of 39 Whitney Way in Montgomery, and Lawrence R. Lynch, 49 Anns Lane in Aurora, were taken into custody. Seidelman, 37, was charged with attempted burglary, possession of burglary tools, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal trespassing to a building. Lynch, 46, was charged with attempted burglary and criminal trespassing to a building.