A soldier deployed to Iraq helped Park Ridge police officers nab two burglary suspects in his hometown, even though he was more than 6,000 miles away at the time, police said.
According to Park Ridge police, the department received a call early Friday morning from a man who said he was a soldier serving in Iraq and had just viewed a possible burglary at his Park Ridge home via a doorbell camera linked to his smartphone.
The man reportedly told police he watched two people walk toward his garage on the 1800 block of South Fairview Avenue and then exit the garage holding several power tools.
Officers responded to the area around 2:30 a.m. and saw two men walking along Higgins Road, not far from the Fairview Avenue address, police said. The two men were observed carrying items that investigators determined had been stolen from the Fairview garage, as well as other items suspected of being stolen from cars in the area, police said.
Police identified the suspects as Andres Gutierrez, 23, of the 1500 block of North Karlov Avenue, Chicago, and Brandon Shaw, 24, of the 600 block of Moca Court, Arcola, Illinois.
Each was charged with three counts of burglary, police said.
Park Ridge Police Department Executive Officer Tom Gadomski said the men are suspected of burglarizing at least two parked cars in addition to the garage. They were found with sports equipment and power tools when they were stopped by officers, he said.
Gutierrez remained behind bars in Cook County Jail Monday, but Shaw was released from custody, said Allison Peters, spokeswoman for the Cook County Sheriff’s Department.
Both were scheduled to appear for a court hearing on Feb. 25, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Twitter: @Jen_Tribune