2 charged with home burglary near Itasca

Two Chicago men believed to be part of an organized crime group known as the Eastern European Criminal Travelers have been charged in connection with a burglary at a house in an unincorporated area near Itasca, DuPage County sheriff's officials said Wednesday.

Authorities said they responded at 11 a.m. Tuesday to a report of a possible burglary in progress on the 5N200 block of Lloyd Avenue. Deputies Brian Barkalow and Szymon Pierscionowski immediately found one of the suspects and took him into custody. The second man was inside the house and armed with a crowbar. He initially refused to obey the deputies' commands, authorities said, but was quickly taken into custody.

Frank S. Ely, 27, is charged with residential burglary and theft and is being held on $50,000 bail in the DuPage County jail.

David B. Nicholas, 33, is charged with residential burglary and theft and is being held on $100,000.

Both men are next due in court on July 31.

"I could not be more proud of the fine work of deputies Barkalow and Pierscionowski," Sheriff James Mendrick said in a written statement. "They demonstrated the ability to de-escalate a very volatile situation that could have easily resulted in a violent end. Thanks to their quick decision-making in a dangerous and evolving crime, they brought this incident to resolution as professionals."