Police say they have arrested 'ladder bandit'

The "ladder bandit" has been caught and is now behind bars, police said Friday.

Luke R. Billimack, 33, listed as living at 203 Marengo Drive, Harvard on a police report, was charged Friday with two counts of felony theft, police said.

Billimack was arrested Thursday morning on the 800 block of Raymond Street with a 40-foot aluminum ladder valued at $250 in his maroon truck, police said.

A witness reported seeing him remove the ladder a few hours earlier from the property of a home on the 300 block of Ryerson Avenue, police said.

His second charge stems from the theft of four ladders valued at $2,000 from Fox Valley Gutters, 1623 Weld Road, Elgin, at 4 a.m. on Dec. 15, 2007, police said.

When Billimack was arrested, he admitted to a detective he was the "ladder bandit" who had stolen around 100 ladders in the Elgin area, police said.

He also said he sold the ladders to recycling centers for money, police said.

The Elgin Police Department had issued a bulletin for its personnel to be on the lookout for the person who was stealing the ladders locally and gave a description of his truck.

Billimack was unable to post a $3,000 bond and was taken to the Kane County Adult Corrections Center.

His next court date is on Jan. 25 at the Kane County Judicial Center.