Three charged in Hawthorn Woods break-in

Three out-of-state men have been charged in the 2008 break-in at a Hawthorn Woods home in which the homeowner was tied up and the safe robbed.

Robert P. Lichtie, 70, of Melrose, Wis.; Jeffrey T. Zielke, 32, of Lewiston, Minn.; and Michael L. Thompson, 37, of Black River Falls, Wis., have been charged with two counts of home invasion, armed robbery and residential burglary for breaking into a home in the 0-100 block of Westwind Court in December 2008, authorities said.

If found guilty, they could spend 30 years behind bars, officials said.

Sgt. John Tennant of the Hawthorn Woods Police Department said in a news release that two of the three suspects forced themselves into the residence, tied up the unidentified victim, then forced that person to open the safe.

Hawthorn Woods police officials were not available Wednesday to answer questions regarding the case, specifically why three people were charged when only two entered the home.

Tennant said in the news release the break in the case came in November when one of the three men was arrested in Monroe County, Wis., and admitted to committing home invasions in Illinois.

Monroe County Sheriff officials contacted Hawthorn Woods police regarding the incident, who traveled to Wisconsin to interview the suspect.

A second suspect was questioned following the interview, and he also admitted to committing the Hawthorn Woods home invasion.

Officials obtained warrants for all three in December, Tennant said, and they turned themselves in.

Lichtie was released from jail after posting 10 percent of a $100,000 cash bond.

Zielke and Thompson remain in Lake County jail on a $1 million bond.

Court dates for the three are unknown.