Illinois police dog helps find, capture suspected burglar in Lake County
LAKE CO., Ill. - A Lake County sheriff’s police dog helped find and apprehend a suspected burglar early Friday morning.
Brendan M. Wilcox, 37, was arrested in connection to an overnight burglary in unincorporated Grayslake, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Burglary reported at tavern
The backstory:
Sheriff’s police responded to a burglar alarm at a bar in the 34200 block of Route 45 around 3:45 a.m. on Friday, police said.
Responding deputies found the tavern secure and without signs of a burglary. Even though the keyholder of the building was not able to respond, deputies were able to search the inside of the building.
Around 7 a.m. that day, the keyholder called to report a burglary. Deputies responded and reviewed surveillance footage and saw a man enter the bar and steal items.
The suspect was wearing "very distinctive clothing," police said. They did not describe the clothing in detail.
Deputies found footprints in the snow and followed them to an apartment building nearby in the 34000 block of Route 45.
K9 tracks down suspect
What we know:
Deputies knocked on the door of a person who lives at the apartment building, Wilcox, who had an active arrest warrant for burglary.
Wilcox fled out of a rear window.
Deputy Dwight Arrowood and K9 Duke arrived at the scene and tried to track Wilcox for over a mile. K9 Duke tracked the suspect to a wooded area where Wilcox was hiding.
Wilcox allegedly refused to surrender and officers sent K9 Duke to help apprehend him. K9 Duke bit Wilcox, who then surrendered.
Sheriff’s deputies said Wilcox had the distinctive clothing seen in the tavern’s surveillance video during the burglary.
Wilcox was arrested and taken to an area hospital for treatment of the dog bite. He was later released back into police custody.
He was later charged with burglary, theft, and resisting/obstructing a peace officer.
What's next:
Wilcox remains in custody at the Lake County Jail to await an initial court hearing.