Burglary Crew Hits Western Springs House: Cops

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – A Western Springs house was among those a burglary crew hit in the suburbs earlier this year, police said.

Giancarlo Vargas-Olaya, 26, and Cesar G. Lugo-Salazar, 29, both of Chicago, were charged April 21 with residential burglary, police said.

Patch obtained the full police report through a public records request.

The local burglary was reported about 9:30 a.m. Feb. 29 in the 1300 block of Chestnut Street. The homeowner told police that he found a broken window after returning from a church service.

The night before, the man said he noticed a dark SUV driving slowly in the neighborhood, police said.

Police found surveillance footage from nearby cameras, including from Laidlaw Elementary School, showing a Chevrolet Traverse driving slowly in the neighborhood. A silver Dodge Avenger was also seen.

A couple of weeks later, a multi-agency team followed a suspected burglary crew to South Barrington. There, officers witnessed a Dodge Avenger and another car park near several large houses, police said.

One of the cars was parked on a side street with its hazard lights activated, similar to what happened during the Western Springs burglary, the report said.

After a house was burglarized, four suspects were arrested. No evidence emerged during thorough interviews pointing to their involvement in the Western Springs case, police said.

However, phone records indicated that Vargas-Olaya was in the Western Springs neighborhood in question around the time of the burglary, the report said.

Also, police found 17 Google searches on Varga-Olaya's phone for Henri Bendel purses, which were stolen in the Western Springs burglary, police said.

Police then checked the Chicago home where Vargas-Olaya and Lugo-Salazar live. In Lugo-Salazar's bedroom, they found a silver Coach watch and diamond earrings that had been stolen from the Western Springs house.

And in Vargas-Olaya's bedroom, officers discovered a backpack that contained a golden bracelet, a brown leather band watch and a sobriety coin, which were taken from the house, police said.

In his interview, Lugo-Salazar would only confirm that he drives the Traverse. Vargas-Olaya declined to speak with officers, invoking his right to an attorney.

They were also charged with residential burglary in Glencoe and Wilmette. They were taken to the Cook County Jail.