Arlington Heights parolee charged with Hoffman Estates burglary

An Arlington Heights man on parole for two 2018 residential burglary convictions was ordered held on $50,000 bail Thursday on charges that he and another man took cash and jewelry from a Hoffman Estates home.

Sam Mason, 24, is charged with residential burglary, which in his case is a non-probationable offense, according to prosecutors.

Hoffman Estates police officers received a report about 3:35 p.m. Tuesday of men wearing construction uniforms entering the home of a senior who neighbors say does not typically allow people into his house, said Nicole Murphy, assistant state's attorney.

An officer noticed the front door was ajar, and inside police heard footsteps and the chirping of walkie-talkies, Murphy said.

Soon after officers saw one of the men, whom a spokeswoman for the Cook County state's attorney's office identified as Lawrence Miller, lying on the driveway. According to spokeswoman Tandra Simonton, Miller jumped from a third-story window in an attempt to flee. He was injured and is hospitalized, Simonton said. She did not indicate when he will appear in court.

Meanwhile officers found Mason attempting to kick out a sliding door at the back of the house, Murphy said. They recovered cash and jewelry from Mason, who told them “he needed the cash for Christmas,” Murphy said.

Mason has two residential burglary convictions from 2018 and misdemeanor theft convictions from 2018 and 2015.

He next appears in court on Jan. 8.