Suspects arrested in connection to Sycamore, DeKalb, Genoa burglaries

By ALAN EDRINN

Five people who are allegedly tied to several burglaries in DeKalb, Genoa and Sycamore, were arrested Tuesday, DeKalb Police said.

While patrolling area liquor and tobacco stores following reports of burglaries to similar stores in Sycamore and Genoa, a burglary was reported at 1:21 a.m. at DeKalb Liquor Mart, 1352 E. Dresser Road, where police saw the glass on the front door smashed and found liquor and cigarettes taken, said DeKalb Police Chief Bill Feithen at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

About 2 a.m., police were patrolling near Smoker’s World, 818 W. Lincoln Highway, when they saw three people running through the parking lot dropping cigarette cartons.

When police approached the scene, the suspects fled around the building and went up and over the railroad tracks, Feithen said.

While chasing the suspects, the officer noticed a car waiting behind the shopping area with a driver in it. The officer called for backup, which surrounded the area, and questioned the driver in the vehicle.

As officers were in search of suspects in the area, they noticed another vehicle with other suspects. As police followed the vehicle, the driver, Brittany Mackie, 18, of DeKalb, disobeyed a red light and was later arrested.

The driver of the first vehicle, Cristofer Lemon, 20, of DeKalb, was later arrested during a traffic stop that night.

Later that night, police searched an apartment at University Village Apartments, 722 N. Annie Glidden Road, where they located three of the suspects involved in the burglaries, Feithen said.

Police arrested Jordan Utley, 17, of DeKalb; Antoine Hicks, 24, of Chicago, and Metasebia Girma, 18, of DeKalb.

All four suspects were charged with various counts of burglary. Mackie is charged with three counts, Lemon with one count, Utley with four counts, Hicks with four counts and Girma with four counts.

The suspects arrested have also been tied to burglaries in Sycamore and Genoa, Feithen said.

“I want to compliment officer Lance Reinboltz who observed the suspects and gave chase,” Feithen said. “He did an outstanding job as did the other officers who worked on that case.”