On the heels of a rash of garage burglaries and automobile thefts over the past month, Brookfield police arrested a Berwyn man on Sept. 19, charging him in connection with four separate incidents.
Following up on several leads, police arrested Michael J. Storm, 27, at 2:30 a.m. at a residence in the 9400 block of Burlington Boulevard, Brookfield, where Storm was staying with friends. Storm’s address was listed as being in the 1500 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Berwyn.
At the time of Storm’s arrest, police recovered property reported stolen in Brookfield garage burglaries.
According to information obtained on the Illinois Department of Corrections Web site, Storm was on parole after serving time for a 2004 conviction for possession of a controlled substance. He previously served a sentence for two retail thefts and one burglary conviction. He was paroled from the Shawnee Correctional Center in downstate Vienna in February.
Prior to Storm’s arrest, police had recovered some power tools reported stolen at the Burlington Boulevard residence and at pawn shops in North Riverside, Berwyn and Chicago. In addition, three of the four stolen vehicles were recovered, one in Forest Park, one in Chicago and one in Berwyn near Storm’s home.
Police noted that in nearly every garage burglary reported during the past month, entry was gained through either open or unlocked doors. Likewise, all four vehicles stolen had keys left inside of them.
In a press release from the department, Brookfield police reminded “residents to secure their property when it is not in use. Every garage should be closed and locked. Vehicles should be locked and all valuables (especially keys) should be out of sight in the trunk or brought into your home.
“Residents suffered a large monetary loss from the tools and vehicles taken, which might [have been] avoided by following basic home security rules.”
Storm, was charged with one count of burglary and possession of a stolen vehicle for an incident reported on Sept. 18 in the 4200 block of Oak Avenue.
In addition, he was charged with three counts of possession of stolen property in connection with an incident in the 9100 block of Sherman Avenue reported on Sept. 13, an incident in the 3900 block of Maple Avenue reported on Sept. 16 and an incident in the 4200 block of Elm Avenue reported on Sept. 18.
Brookfield Police Lt. Michael Manescalchi said that the department’s investigation into other recent burglaries is continuing and that evidence from other burglaries will be forwarded to the Illinois State Police crime lab for analysis.
Further charges against Storm could result in the wake of that analysis. Storm is being held in Cook County Jail awaiting a court date at Maybrook this morning.
