Lombard man charged in home invasion

Bail was set at $500,000 Thursday for a man accused of a Lombard home invasion and robbery in which two adults and a 15-month-old child were restrained.

Fernando Vazquez, 27, of the 100 block of East 14th Place, was charged Wednesday with home invasion, armed robbery and unlawful restraint. Also charged was a 16-year-old boy who was not identified because he’s a juvenile, DuPage County prosecutors said.

Vazquez was one of three suspects who knocked on an acquaintance’s door about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday on the 100 block of St. Charles Road in Lombard, Assistant State’s Attorney Debora Brewer said at a bond hearing Thursday. When the victim answered, she said, Vazquez displayed a metal gun replica, and the trio forced their way inside.

The suspects then hogtied an adult man and woman and put pillowcases over their heads, Brewer said. They also put a pillowcase over a 15-month-old child in the residence, but it was removed after one of the victims screamed, she said.

Brewer said Vazquez and his accomplices made threats while gathering items to steal, including a DVD player, a computer, a video game system and prescription pills. The 16-year-old was later found to be in possession of a map of the victim’s home, which noted where to find valuables, she said.

“One of the co-defendants said that if they (the victims) called the police, they would come back and kill them,” Brewer said.

Prosecutors said Vazquez and the juvenile were arrested after the victims identified the perpetrators to investigators. Vazquez later confessed, according to Brewer, who said there was an active investigation into the third suspect.

DuPage Judge Michael Wolfe set Vazquez’s bail Thursday at $500,000, meaning he would have to post $50,000 to go free while the case is pending. The judge ordered Vazquez to have no contact with the victims should he bond out.

The 16-year-old was referred to juvenile court, prosecutors said.