4 suspects accused of stealing from more than 200 cars in Southern Illinois
Three adults and one juvenile are responsible for a car burglary ring that targeted at least 200 vehicles in Madison, Jersey and Macoupin counties over the last month, police say.
The following were charged with multiple crimes in Madison County Court on Wednesday:
- Shane M. Carney, 18, of Granite City was charged with 12 counts of burglary and one count of stolen vehicle possession.
- Sean A. Breeden, 18, of Granite City was charged with 5 counts of burglary and one count of stolen vehicle possession.
- Timothy D. Sutherland, 21, of Granite City was charged with 11 counts of burglary and one count of stolen vehicle possession.
In addition to the three adults, a juvenile whose name will not be released because of their age will be remanded to juvenile court, the Madison County State’s Attorney Office said.
Between mid to late January and early February, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office began investigating multiple reports of vehicle burglaries in Prairietown, Godfrey and Granite City, a news release from Capt. David Vucich stated.
At the time, numerous other law enforcement agencies in the region began to see an influx of vehicle burglaries as well, Vucich said. These included Macoupin County and Jersey County, as well as multiple city police departments in Madison County.
“The cases all had common denominators and some evidence also corroborated that they may be linked,” Vucich said.
The majority of the vehicles that were burglarized were unlocked, Vucich said. In most of the cases, miscellaneous items like change and personal effects were stolen, while larger items like firearms were stolen in others. In one case, the suspects stole an entire car.
Multiple police agencies were involved in the investigation, during which they were able to establish links between the crimes and identify the suspects, Vucich said. Police discovered a stolen car, a firearm, approximately one and half pounds of illegal cannabis and about $5,600 in cash.
Vucich said that the suspects are believed to be responsible for an estimated 200 vehicle burglaries in the tri-county region in one week.
The three adults and the juvenile may face additional charges from other city departments and in other counties, Vucich said.
Breeden was the only one in custody as of Thursday morning, while Carney, Sunderland and the juvenile remained at large. Bond for each defendant was set at $100,000.
“This is a perfect example of how law enforcement agencies work with one another to accomplish a common goal of seeking justice for victims,” Vucich said in the release.
He also added, “As a public safety announcement, the public is reminded to please secure all vehicles when they are not occupied. Firearms nor key fobs should not be left unattended in vehicles. This simple step helps deter thefts in the area and these incidents from happening.”
Lt. Nick Novacich of the Granite City Police Department also warned people that during the winter months, not to leave keys unattended in the car when warming it up.
The case remains an active investigation, so no details concerning evidence, motive or statements can be released, Vucich said.
This story was originally published February 6, 2020 at 12:46 PM.
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