Man charged in 2 St. Charles home burglaries

A 39-year-old man caught burglarizing a St. Charles home has been charged with two felony counts of residential burglary, police said Thursday.

Chris A. Stewart, of 1578 River Road, South Elgin, was taken into custody Tuesday night after a resident reported suspicious activity at a vacant residence on the city's northwest side, officials said.

Police arrived to find a broken kitchen window and evidence indicating a burglar might be inside. Officers surrounded the home and arrested Stewart without incident a short time later.

In addition to Tuesday's break-in, investigators tied Stewart to a Jan. 25 burglary on the 1000 block of Wing Avenue, which led to the second burglary charge, according to police.

Authorities noted that physical evidence obtained at Tuesday's crime scene indicates Stewart had an accomplice. Police said they still are investigating whether the pair is responsible for a recent rash of burglaries in northeast and northwest parts of the city in which electronics and jewelry were stolen.

A judge set Stewart's bond at $200,000, police said. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

"The St. Charles Police Department would like to commend and thank the vigilant neighbor who contacted our agency and provided the information, which ultimately lead to the suspect's arrest," police stated in a news release.