Four arrested in string of five Wheeling burglaries

Four Wheeling men face felony charges in connection with a string of home burglaries in their neighborhood, some of them occurring while the residents slept.

Henry Mejia, 22, is charged with five of the burglaries, which date back to the fall. Carlos Dimas, 23, and Francisco Pucheta, 20, are charged with taking part in the latest burglary on Monday along with Mejia. And Enrique Martinez, 19, is charged with taking part in a burglary with Mejia on Dec. 20.

Dimas was already on probation for a felony burglary conviction from February.

Mejia, Dimas and Pucheta live in the 70 block of Wolf Road. Martinez lives in the 300 block of Inland Drive.

The defendants are accused of making off with items such as video games, wallets, keys, laptops and even shoes.

The first alleged burglary occurred on Nov. 25 at a house in the 0 block of Center Avenue in the early morning hours, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Bill Cotter.

Mejia is accused of entering the home while the residents were sleeping and stealing a flat screen TV, video games, and hand tools - some of which police say were later recovered from his home during a search on Wednesday.

Next, Mejia is accused of driving the getaway car for Martinez and another unidentified burglar as they entered a house in the 300 block of Anita Place in the early morning hours of Dec. 20.

Then on Jan. 9, Mejia is accused of using a garage door opener in an unlocked car in the 400 block of Rustic Drive to get into the house while residents slept and steal books, two laptops, video games and golf clubs, among other items.

About a month later on Feb. 9, again early in the morning, Mejia allegedly used an unlocked door to get into a house in the 400 block of Buckeye Drive to steal items, Cotter said.

And on Monday, Mejia, Dimas and Pucheta allegedly broke into an apartment in the 400 block of Inland Drive through an unlocked window during the day or early afternoon and stole various items, Cotter said.

Wheeling police declined to comment Saturday on what information led them to Mejia, Dimas, Pucheta and Martinez.

Mejia, who faces five felony counts of burglary, was given a $500,000 bond Saturday by Cook County Judge Margarita Kulys Hoffman, meaning he would have to post $50,000 to be released from jail pending further court hearings.

Dimas was ordered held in jail with no bond due to his probation violation, but also given a $200,000 bond. Both Pucheta and Martinez were given $100,000 bonds, meaning they would have to post $10,000.

None of the defendants posted bail at court Saturday. They were all given the same hearing date of May 5 at the Rolling Meadows courthouse.