Round Lake Park police: Man offers to shovel drive, later burglarizes house

Round Lake Park police say a man who offered to shovel a woman’s driveway in his neighborhood last week wanted more than the minimal fee he charged.

Police Chief George Filenko said Sean M. Mayer, 20, of the 500 block of Arbor Drive in the village, has been charged with residential burglary. Mayer was held on $50,000 bail at the Lake County jail after a hearing Wednesday.

Filenko said Mayer knocked on the victim’s door during a snowfall Feb. 21 and asked if he could shovel her driveway. He said Mayer, who lives a couple of blocks from the woman, had a brief conversation with her and determined what times she worked and when the home would be empty before taking care of the snow.

Mayer returned to the victim’s home last Saturday to collect $20 he charged for his shoveling, Filenko said. On Monday, the chief said, Mayer forced his way in through a basement window of the victim’s home and took cash, jewelry, a laptop computer, a Microsoft Xbox and other items valued at $3,000.

“It’s unfortunate that a friendly conversation with someone in your own neighborhood could have ulterior motives,” Filenko said.

Filenko said police used “no-frills, old-school detective work” to find Mayer. He said the victim recalled the man who offered to shovel the snow was named Sean and that he lived near her.

Authorities said with the exception of $30 cash, the loot was found in Mayer’s home when they arrested him Tuesday night.