BREAKING: 2 vehicles stolen, 1 burglarized in 24-hour period in Mokena

Also: No injuries result from fire at Frankfort retail shop

MOKENA, Ill.

A string of three car thefts took place Wednesday, May 20, and it is possible the crimes could be linked.

Mokena Police Chief Steven Vaccaro confirmed that two vehicles were stolen on May 20, and a third was burglarized in the early morning hours.

The first vehicle theft was reported at 3:28 p.m., while the other was reported stolen at 7:14 p.m. The vehicle thefts occurred on Celtic Court and Cambridge Drive.

Vaccaro said in both thefts, keys were present inside the vehicles.

He also said police received a report of a possible vehicle of interest — described as a gray SUV, possibly a Volkswagen.

Earlier in the day, around 4 a.m., Vaccaro said a vehicle was burglarized in the southern part of town. He said police observed a vehicle “fleeing” into Frankfort and eventually onto I-80. The vehicle was described as a blue Volkswagen SUV.

“So, it was very possibly the same vehicle as last night,” Vaccaro said.

The thefts come several months after similar vehicle burglaries led residents to attend a Village of Mokena Board of Trustees meeting to voice their concerns. Since then, Vaccaro said increased police patrols and efforts by residents have led to a dip in car burglaries in Mokena.

“They have decreased markedly due in part to our residents taking our advice and locking their vehicles and not leaving their keys in unlocked vehicles, along with the efforts of my officers,” Vaccaro said. “They have been out in force — especially on midnight [shifts]. They have been in the subdivisions being very visible, which I think has been a tremendous deterrent.”

Vaccaro also gave advice to residents on trying to avoid becoming a victim of a car theft or burglary.

“I ask our residents to make sure they are locking their vehicles at night,” he said. “That’s important. Now, we’re finding that these [suspects] are coming out during the day or the afternoon hours. I ask residents to make sure that their cars are always locked, that their garages are closed, and do not leave their keys in a vehicle whether it is locked or unlocked. That would assist us a great deal.”

No injuries result from fire at Frankfort retail shop

FRANKFORT, Ill.

Fire sprinklers are being credited for minimizing the damage caused by a fire at a retail business in the 9600 block of Lincolnway Lane in Frankfort.

The Mokena Fire Protection responded to the incident at around 7:49 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, and the fire was extinguished in approximately five minutes, said Assistant Fire Chief Joseph Cirelli.

The fire was contained to just one unit of the two-story, 17-unit building. Upon arrival, firefighters noticed that three of the sprinklers had activated inside the unit.

“The fire didn’t spread because of the sprinkler system,” Cirelli said.

The unit was unoccupied at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. Cirelli said the unit sustained minor smoke damage.

The cause of the fire is being listed as accidental, according to Cirelli.

The Mokena Fire Protection District was assisted by fire districts from Frankfort, New Lenox and Homer Township.

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