For three months police had worked to catch a pair of burglary suspects they believed were responsible for more than 50 residential break-ins on the north side of town. One of the detectives even referred to the culprits as “the ghosts,” according to Police Chief Jim Ryan.
On March 19, authorities got the break they were looking for when three women became suspicious – and got involved.
Donald Ingram and Derrick Herron were ultimately charged with 12 felonies, including several counts of burglary, according to police. Other suburban communities have linked the men to an estimated 200 break-ins, said Ryan. During a May 11 village council meeting, Ryan credited Kimberly Berdelee, Patricia Ellis and Yolanda Davis for cracking the case.
Ellis and Berdelee are neighbors in a condo building on Desplaines Avenue and worked with police to provide a description and video footage of men they suspected did not belong in their building. Davis, meanwhile, saw a car in her neighborhood on Marengo that seemed out of place. According to Ryan, it was the willingness of each resident to pick up the phone and notify investigators that led to the arrests.
Each of the women received a certificate of thanks from the council.
