Mundelein cousins get probation in car burglaries

A pair of cousins from Mundelein were placed on probation for 18 months Wednesday after they admitted to a series of car burglaries.

Juan Hernandez, 20, of the 200 block of North California Avenue, and Hugo Hernandez, 19, of the 200 block of North Prairie Avenue, both pleaded guilty to burglary.

Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Scott Hoffert said the pair broke into cars in parking lots in Mundelein, Libertyville, Lincolnshire, Lake Zurich and Deerfield between March and May of last year.

A total of 19 cars were burglarized, Hoffert said, and items such as GPS devices, cash and other property was stolen.

The pair was caught after a witness saw them breaking into a car in Libertyville, wrote down the license plate number from Juan Hernandez’s car and reported it to police.

Circuit Judge Fred Foreman also ordered the pair to perform 100 hours of community service and to pay $2,962 in restitution.

Hoffert said the cousins could have faced up to seven years in prison if convicted after a trial.