Police: St. Charles burglar has good taste

When police went to Gregory Behrendt's home in St. Charles last month, they turned up the kinds of things you might expect to see in a $522,000 house: crystal stemware, engraved serving utensils, silver-plated ladles.

Problem was, none of it belonged there, police said.

Behrendt, 56, pleaded not guilty Friday in Kane County court to 13 counts of residential burglary and related charges in connection with a rash of high-end thefts in St. Charles and Geneva this spring.

His defense attorney said Behrendt, an unemployed engineer, maintains his innocence.

"From what I understand, there is no physical evidence linking him to any crimes," attorney Sal Miglore said. "No fingerprints, no fibers, no one has ever identified him."

Behrendt, of the 1200 block of Winners Cup Circle, was arrested in late April as police watched the 500 block of Steeplechase Road in St. Charles, near where several burglaries had been reported.

According to authorities, Behrendt would ring doorbells late at night, then return to unoccupied homes later and force his way in through windows.

Additional charges were filed last week after Geneva police said they tied Behrendt to a burglary on the 500 block of Fulton Street, where a man said he returned from vacation to find about 37 pieces of property, including a lamp, jewelry, stemware and antique heirlooms, missing.

The arrests came as a shock to residents in Behrendt's upscale neighborhood on the east side of St. Charles, said one neighbor, who did not want his name published. According to county tax records, Behrendt lives in a home valued at $522,000 last year.

Miglore said his client is a graduate of Northwestern University's engineering program who lost his job some time ago. He's also separated from his wife, and "basically paying all the bills," Miglore said.

"It's taken a significant toll," Miglore said. "He has been going through a very difficult financial time and a very difficult period in his life."

Among the items police say Behrendt stole were a rare Augarten Wien porcelain Lipizzaner figurine, a Lladro brand Cinderella figurine, and a 20- by 26-inch painting of the Geneva home he's accused of burglarizing.

"All of the St. Charles victims reported having figurines, stemware, cookware, silverware, crystal, jewelry and similar items stolen," police said in court documents.

According to police, Behrendt confessed to multiple burglaries in St. Charles and six other attempts after his initial arrest. But whether those statements hold up in court remains to be seen, Miglore said.

"When he allegedly made those confessions, he had not retained counsel," he said.

If convicted of the most serious charge, a Class 1 felony, Behrendt faces four to 15 years in prison without the possibility of probation, his attorney said. He has no prior criminal history.

Behrendt remains free on bond and is scheduled to appear in court next on July 21. He could not be reached for comment Friday.