Inverness couple charged with burglarizing neighbors' home

An Inverness couple who left a block party early in order to burglarize their neighbors' home have been arrested following a domestic dispute in Rock Island, where they traveled to pawn the stolen goods, police said.

Kendra Smith, 37, and John Bradley Crenshaw, 40, of the 700 block of Stone Canyon Circle, are charged with residential burglary and unlawful use of a credit card.

Sorting through the quirky story involved a cooperative investigation by Inverness and Palatine police, as well as the Rock Island County sheriff's department.

On July 18, according to authorities, Crenshaw and Smith, who are dating, attended the same Barrington block party as their victims. They left early knowing their neighbors on the 700 block of Stone Canyon Circle wouldn't be home and used a baseball bat to break a window and unlock the front door, Inverness police officer Michael Kirby said. The victims returned around 9 p.m. and found jewelry, a coin collection and identification missing.

Over the next few days, authorities said, Crenshaw and Smith used the credit card they stole from their neighbors at a Blockbuster store in Palatine, which police were able to view on a surveillance video. Smith used her own store membership card during the purchase, Cook County state's attorney's office spokesman Andy Conklin said. Warrants were obtained, and the couple became persons of interest in the burglary.

Meanwhile, Crenshaw and Smith drove to western Illinois to pawn the stolen items, Kirby said. During their stay at a hotel, the couple got into a domestic dispute that prompted a visit from the Rock Island County sheriff's police.

Smith and Crenshaw were arrested and, on Monday, Inverness police traveled to Rock Island to follow up on the burglary investigation. Smith and Crenshaw appeared in Rolling Meadows court twice this week on different charges. In total, a Cook County judge set bond at $85,000 for Crenshaw and $65,000 for Smith.

Kirby said police have recovered a large percentage of the stolen goods and proceeds from their sale, but well over $10,000 is still missing.

For Inverness police, who began safeguarding the community May 1 after the village ended a contract with Barrington for police service, this residential burglary is definitely the highest profile case so far.

"I think it's fair to say this is our first big caper," Kirby said.

Burglary: Police say $10,000 of stolen goods, proceeds still missing