Vernon Hills man gets four years in house burglary

A Vernon Hills man was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday after admitting he broke into a house in Deerfield.

Joshua Pierce, 20, pleaded guilty to residential burglary during a hearing before Circuit Judge James Booras.

Assistant State's Attorney Eric Kalata said a house in the 400 block of Bluebird Lane was entered sometime on Nov. 16 by someone who broke a rear window.

The burglar stole $1,500 in cash from a nightstand in a bedroom and fled, Kalata said.

Deerfield police were able to collect a blood sample from the broken window where the burglar had cut himself when entering the house.

Kalata said DNA taken from the sample was matched to Pierce through the national database of DNA samples taken from convicted felons.

Kalata said Pierce was convicted of theft in Cook County in 2008.

Deerfield police interviewed Pierce and he admitted breaking into the house, Kalata said.

A second case charging Pierce with felony theft filed by Vernon Hills police was dropped in exchange for his guilty plea.

Residential burglary carries a mandatory prison sentence of four to 15 years, Kalata said.