Break-in prompts township to look into extra security

The second burglary in four years at the Lake Villa Township building has officials looking for a way to secure the building.

The township office at 37908 N. Fairfield Road was reportedly broken into late Feb. 2. Lake County sheriff's deputies responded around 11:20 a.m. Feb. 3 and found a back window had been pried open.

Township supervisor Dan Venturi said the burglar used a crowbar to enter the building through a community room.

About $500 in damage was done and a new digital camera and about $30 were taken, Venturi said.

The township building uses an old camera system that wasn't working the night of the break-in, he said.

Venturi said this wasn't the first break-in at the township building, which is why he wants to move forward with a better security system.

"I'm seeing a pattern and I think we need to lock things down," he said.

Venturi said he looked into security systems last year and found the cost ranged from about $2,000 to $20,000. The board will discuss the issue today at 7 p.m. during the regular meeting.

"It's unfortunate. The beef-up in security is going to make it inconvenient for people renting the community rooms," he said. "It only takes one or two people to ruin it."

Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Christopher Thompson said a burglary was reported at the township building Jan. 23, 2004.

Thompson said getting a more sophisticated alarm system is a good idea.

"We, as law enforcement officials, always encourage people to enhance any type of security system if they feel it would benefit their workplace," Thompson said.