Police arrest suspect in 52 Arlington Heights car burglaries

Police have arrested an 18-year-old man suspected of committing 52 vehicle burglaries since last June.

Samuel H. Lee, who has lived in Arlington Heights, Naperville and Chicago, was arrested about 1:50 a.m. Sunday after police received a report that two vehicles had been ransacked in a driveway on the 300 block of South Dunton Avenue, according to Arlington Heights police.

Lee was found walking in the area with two GPS units and a camera, police said.

Investigators say the suspect entered unlocked vehicles to take items that can be easily sold on the street for cash, such as GPS units, iPods, accessory cords and tool sets. The burglaries occurred between June 8 and Jan. 2 in a general area bounded by Northwest Highway and Central and Arlington Heights roads.

Police said not all the break-ins have been reported to date, and encourage those who may have had their vehicles burglarized to file a police report.

Arlington Heights Police Cmdr. Kenneth Galinski said Lee was staying with a friend in Arlington Heights where the burglaries occurred. No burglaries were tied to Lee in Naperville or Chicago.

Lee was in bond court Tuesday, currently facing four felony counts of burglary to a motor vehicle. His next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 2.