Man sentenced for South Barrington burglaries
A Hickory Hills man pleaded guilty to stealing money and jewelry from South Barrington seniors last year.
Leo Ely, of the 8200 block of 87th Street, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $689 in fines last week in exchange for his guilty pleas to two counts of residential burglary, a class 1 felony, court records show.
On Nov. 4, 2013, prosecutors say Ely conned his way into the home of a 92-year-old woman by telling her he was a member of the construction crew working on her neighbor's house and he noticed smoke coming from her walls. He proceeded to check light switches then told the woman he was going outside and she should count to 10 and shut off the lights. The woman later noticed jewelry missing.
In the second incident on Dec. 4, 2013, prosecutors say Ely showed up wearing a safety vest and carrying testing equipment at the door of a couple in their 80s. He told them he was from ComEd, that a car had struck a light pole near their house and he had to check their wiring, prosecutors said. The homeowners let him in then became wary and asked him to leave. Later, they noticed jewelry and money missing.
Ely, who has a case pending in Maywood, must complete at least 50 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.