Antioch men arrested in GPS thefts, police say

Two Antioch men have been arrested and charged with stealing GPS units after pawning the devices at a Round Lake Beach pawnshop, police said Monday.

Derek Badger, 19, and Jay Jones, 18, are each charged with two counts of burglary to a motor vehicle, Antioch Police Chief Craig Sommerville said.

Sommerville said Antioch detectives were contacted by Round Lake Beach Police on June 23 with information that a stolen GPS unit was recently pawned at a pawnshop in Round Lake Beach.

Antioch police had recent reports on file of car burglaries in which GPS units were taken, Sommerville said.

Through investigation and interviews, detectives determined Badger and Jones were “car hopping” in the early morning hours of June 20. The two were walking through subdivisions and checking for unlocked vehicles, then taking the contents inside unlocked vehicles, officials said.

Detectives learned three GPS units were taken and later pawned by Badger and Jones, Sommerville said.

The two were charged June 24, but are free on bond after posting the required 10 percent of their $25,000 cash bond.

If found guilty of the counts, each could spend up to seven years behind bars, Sommerville said.

“Vehicle owners should always lock their cars and never leave valuables inside,” he said. “We also urge residents to become involved in the Antioch Neighborhood Watch where they will receive valuable crime preventions tips as they work in cooperation with the police department to keep the community safe.”

For information on neighborhood watch, people are urged to check out the Antioch Police Department website at antiochpd.com.