Local News

Suspects charged for smash-and-grab spree in H-F, other towns

(Updated Dec. 19)
Three suspects have been arrested and charged following a string of smash-and-grab incidents throughout the South Suburbs in recent weeks, Flossmoor police said Friday.

Three suspects have been arrested and charged following a string of smash-and-grab incidents throughout the South Suburbs in recent weeks, Flossmoor police said Friday.
 
One man is facing felony charges in connection with smash-and-grab attacks in Flossmoor during the early morning hours on Dec. 1.
 
Bernard Barfield, 21, of Country Club Hills, has been charged with four counts of burglary and one count of felony criminal damage to property, said Flossmoor Detective Dave Freeman.
 
Deputy Chief Tod Kamleiter told the H-F Chronicle that two other suspects have also been arrested and charged for similar offenses in nearby communities. Following their arrests, the three suspects were in custody at the Chicago Heights Police Department.
 
Freeman said several local police departments participated in the investigation into the events and that Chicago Heights took a lead role in processing the suspects following their apprehension.
 
Four Homewood businesses were also hit by smash-and-grab burglaries on the night of Nov. 26 and early morning hours of Nov. 27. 
 
On the night of the Flossmoor burglaries, four businesses were targeted: Maxine’s, 3321 Vollmer Road; Subway, 3323 Vollmer Road; Buona Beef, 19801 Crawford Ave.; and Flossmoor Animal Hospital, 19581 Governors Highway. In addition, a maintenance van at Homewood-Flossmoor High School was damaged as was another vehicle parked at the school, police said.
 
According to Freeman, small amounts of currency and two iPads were taken in the burglaries. A fish tank at Flossmoor Animal Hospital was smashed but nothing was stolen from that location, police said.
 
Barfield was arrested in the early morning hours on Dec. 6, Freeman said. He and another man were in a car that had been reported stolen in Olympia Fields. Hazel Crest police stopped the car but the other person in the car managed to escape.

Barfield was turned over to Olympia Fields, which later transferred him to Chicago Heights for further processing.

On Tuesday, the Chicago Heights Police Department provided the following press release to the H-F Chronicle:

“The Chicago Heights Police Department Detective Division led an intensive investigation which resulted in three suspects being arrested and charged in connection with a series of recent burglaries targeting local businesses within the city.

“The Detective Division is aggressively pursuing leads and working in cooperation with multiple law enforcement agencies regarding similar burglaries that have occurred in a number of other south suburban municipalities.

“Please contact the Chicago Heights Detective Division if you have any information regarding the ongoing investigation at 708-756-6422.”

  

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