Two teens accused of Gurnee car break-ins

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Luis Cruz

Updated: March 19, 2012 10:08AM

GURNEE — Two youths are facing charges after police were called to the parking lot of the Econolodge Hotel on Grand Avenue this week because suspects dressed in black were checking car doors to see if they were locked.

Gurnee police found the pair walking westbound along Grand Avenue east of Route 41 around 5:30 a.m. Monday with a number of items weighing down their pants, including a 12-volt power plug for a GPS unit hanging out of one of their pockets. They also had CDs and a large amount of change in their pockets. The GPS unit was found to be stolen from a vehicle just a few blocks away.

The two were detained and charged with consumption of alcohol by minors because police could smell alcohol on their breath, authorities said Friday. Further investigation by detectives lead to the discovery of additional car burglaries in the area.

Eight vehicles were identified as allegedly having been broken into by the two suspects. The owners were later contacted and their property identified and returned to them. The vehicles entered were in the northeast area of Gurnee, north of Grand Avenue.

Luis Cruz, 18, of Gurnee was charged with eight counts of burglary and one count of consumption of alcohol by a minor. A 14-year-old male from Gurnee was referred to juvenile court on charges of burglary, theft and possession of stolen property, and possession of liquor by a minor. The juvenile was released to his mother.