Downers Grove man sentenced to 17 years in prison for burglaries
A DuPage County judge Wednesday sentenced a Downers Grove man to 17 years in prison for breaking into two residences and a business in 2019 and stealing more than $60,000 worth of property.
Jay Mendoza, 40, pleaded guilty in May to two counts of residential burglary and one count of burglary. He will have to serve half of his 17-year sentence before being eligible for parole, according to the DuPage County state's attorney's office.
"In addition to stealing valuables from his victims and causing thousands of dollars' worth of damage, Mr. Mendoza's actions also robbed his victims and the community of the feeling of safety and security that a home provides," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in the news release.
On Sept. 23, 2019, a Downers Grove office manager found the door to the business forced open and a bank envelope containing $200 to $300 missing along with a credit card, a gas card and two slot machines. The next day, an Elmhurst resident arrived home to find a burglar had broken in through the back door. Various items, valued at $929, were missing.
On Oct. 9, 2019, Oak Brook police responded to a call for a residential burglary. A window was broken to gain access to the home, and more than $60,000 worth of property was stolen. There was $10,000 of damage to the home, according to the news release.
Mendoza was arrested on Oct. 18, 2019. He has remained in custody since his arrest.