Zion man charged with stealing from teacher at Gages Lake school

A Zion man has been charged with stealing debit and credit cards from a teacher at a Gages Lake school and making more than $1,200 in purchases, authorities said.

Lavonte M. Murel, 20, of the 1900 block of Jethro Ave., is charged with burglary to a school, identity theft and unlawful use of credit card — all felonies. Murel is due in Lake County bond court Sunday morning.

On Dec. 2, the teacher told police a debit card and a credit card were missing from her purse. The teacher also told Woodland Elementary School administrators, who began an investigation, according to the Lake County Sheriff's office.

The school administrators obtained video surveillance footage of a black man entering the school around 4:15 p.m. Nov. 30, police said. The footage also shows the man entering a classroom before leaving the school, police said.

On Dec. 4, Sheriff's detectives identified Murel as the man going into the school, police said. He was arrested Saturday without incident at his home, police said.

Murel admitted to sheriff's detectives that he drove to Woodland to apply for a job, but instead decided to look for items to steal inside the school, police said.

His bond hearing is set for 9 a.m. in courtroom No. C-120.