Aurora man charged with GPS thefts

A 32-year-old Aurora man has been charged in connection with a series of thefts in which global positioning systems were taken from vehicles, police said Monday.

Alejandro S. Gudino, of the 900 block of Liberty Street, was charged in two Aurora incidents and is thought to be involved in thefts in Naperville, North Aurora, Batavia, Geneva and Oswego, according to police.

Police said he was taken into custody April 17 after an Aurora officer stopped the car Gudino was driving on a traffic violation at Claim and Ohio streets. The vehicle, a 1994 Saturn, had been identified as one used in thefts in Naperville and Aurora and was being sought by police.

Police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said the thefts occurred at all hours, with several people seeing Gudino's car at the scene. One person was able to get his license plate number.

"That was ultimately the big break in this case," he said. "The license plate led us right to him."

Gudino was charged with burglary and possession of burglary tools in connection with an April 11 theft in a shopping center parking lot on the 1900 block of West Galena Boulevard. He also was charged with burglary in connection with a theft from a vehicle parked in a restaurant parking lot on the 500 block of South Route 59, on March 30, police said.

In each case, GPS systems that had been left on the vehicles' dashboards and were taken after the windows had been smashed. The total loss in the two incidents was more than $1,000.

Aurora police said they believe Gudino is responsible for numerous GPS thefts over recent weeks.

"This is a continuing investigation," Ferrelli said Monday. "Our officers are working with the state's attorneys in Kane and DuPage counties and are screening any additional information as we get it."