Foot chase leads to arrest in Geneva burglaries

Geneva police said Saturday they think they may have solved a string of vehicle burglaries in Kane County with the arrest Monday of a suspect following a brief manhunt and scuffle with an officer.

Christopher C. Mentenick, 26, of the 100 block of South 18th Street, St. Charles, was charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools and resisting a police officer.

Mentenick, who was on parole for past burglaries, was apprehended after a woman confronted a man who was inside her father's car just before dawn on the 2600 block of Blackman Drive, Geneva. The man yelled at the woman, then took off.

Geneva police brought in a North Aurora police dog who assisted in tracking down a man who was hiding nearby in some brush.

Authorities said Mentenick was ordered to stop but continued sprinting through the neighborhood, climbing fences as he was pursued.

A police officer was injured in a scuffle with the suspect.

Officers found bags with wallets, ID cards, cash and other items in the area where he was found.

Police said Mentenick was involved in at least 10 other vehicle burglaries in the area.

In February 2014, Mentenick was sentenced to 3½ years in prison after he pleaded guilty to burglarizing cars in the Fisher Farms subdivision in Geneva and in the Falcons Trail subdivision near St. Charles in 2013. He was released May 20. Mentenick had previously been imprisoned for burglaries and thefts committed in DeKalb County.