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Homeowner's carport cams lead to arrest in Millstadt burglary

BY JENNIFER A. BOWEN - News-Democrat

A few hours after security camera photographs were posted online, the calls started coming in to the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department.

Before midnight Friday, a man wanted for stealing items from the carport of a rural Millstadt resident was in the St. Clair County Jail.

Todd M. Pinta, 31, of 13 W. Pheasantwood Drive, Apt. A, Belleville, was arrested about 11 p.m. Friday. He was charged with burglary with bond set at $100,000.

The suspect was caught on several motion-activated cameras the homeowner placed in his carport. - Provided/BND

St. Clair County Sheriff's Investigator Matt Jany was interviewing the resident of the home where the burglary happened when the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department started receiving calls from people who said they recognized Pinta as the man depicted in photographs on the Belleville News-Democrat's website, bnd.com.

Van smashes into cafe

A van smashed into a cafe behind the Emerson Park Metro Station in East St. Louis. From KSDK

Man arrested for school thefts is apprehended riding MetroLink train without valid ticket

BY JENNIFER A. BOWEN - News-Democrat

A Granite City man accused of burglarizing a middle school took police right to the stolen goods after he was busted for riding the MetroLink without a valid ticket.

Kalon E. Cherry, 18, of 2640 East 24th St., was charged with burglary by the St. Clair County State's Attorney in connection with a burglary of the Wirth Middle School at 1900 Mousette Lane near Cahokia.

The burglary occurred Friday but school officials did not discover it until 6:30 a.m. Monday, when security officers arrived to begin the school week.

Kalon Cherry. - Provided/BND

Man spotted running out of house with new dishwasher

BY JENNIFER A. BOWEN - News-Democrat

St. Clair County deputies are looking for a man and a minivan believed to be involved with theft from and damage to a home under construction near Belleville.

A witness spotted an older model silver or light tan Dodge or Chrysler minivan parked in the driveway of the home in the 2400 block of Glenmount Court about 10:30 p.m. Monday, according to the police report from the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department. The witness knew no one was living at the home so he turned around to go back by the home and noticed the minivan had pulled out of the driveway and parked on the street in front of the house.

Lost wallet helps police locate suspected burglar

News-Democrat

Note to would-be criminals: If you're going to rob a home, remember not to leave your wallet behind.

Joshua Winters, 19, of 2917 Apt. 7 West Boulevard in unincorporated Belleville, was arrested and charged in connection with the robbery of a home in the 1800 block of Spruce Hill Drive in unincorporated Belleville on Monday.

According to the police report, the resident of the Spruce Hill Drive home pulled into the garage at his home about 8:45 p.m. Monday and he heard voices inside. He noticed a door slightly open and knew no one should have been home at the time, according to Capt. Steve Johnson, chief investigator for the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department.

Joshua Winters, 19, of 2917 West Blvd., Apt. 7 near Belleville, was charged with burglary. - Provided/BND

Q: Who would pick up a hitchhiker with a chainsaw? A: Deputies

News-Democrat

A Belleville man was arrested Saturday morning after a sheriff's deputy spotted him hitchhiking down Illinois 15 while carrying a stolen chainsaw.

Donald F. Aten, 42, of 8301 Old St. Louis Road near Belleville, was charged with burglary and a subsequent felony theft in connection with the burglary of a home in the 200 block of South Belt West at 5:25 a.m. Saturday.

St. Clair County Sheriff's Deputy Russ Taylor and two other deputies responded to a call about a burglary in progress Saturday morning, said Capt. Steve Johnson.

Donald F. Aten, 42, of 8301 Old St. Louis Road, Belleville. - Provided/BND

Dupo homeowner thwarts, handcuffs burglar

News-Democrat

A Dupo resident fought back and made a citizen's arrest when a man attempted to rob his home in the middle of the day.

A St. Clair County Sheriff's deputy responded at 1:16 p.m., Dec. 3, to a burglary in progress call in the 2800 block of Stolle Road in Dupo.

When deputy Cerether White arrived he found Eric L. Kirk, 35, of 117 S. Fourth St. in Dupo handcuffed outside the home with the 35-year-old homeowner kneeling on him.

Eric L. Kirk - Provided to BND

The homeowner told White that Kirk had knocked on his door and he didn't recognize him when he looked out the window. The homeowner tried to run the license plate on a blue minivan Kirk was standing near but could not read the entire plate so he decided to get his gun, according to the police report.

When the homeowner, whose name was not released by the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department, retrieved his gun and returned to the door his dogs started barking. That's when he noticed Kirk and the van were gone. He then saw the van backed up to his garage and Kirk using a crow bar to try to open the homeowner's garage door.

The homeowner called 911 to report the crime in progress and then fired two rounds into the ground near Kirk.

According to the police report Kirk ran to the van and attempted to get away when the homeowner grabbed him, wrestled him to the ground and slapped handcuffs on him with the assistance of a neighbor.

"After interviewing the victim and a witness, the victim shot his firearm in defense of his life and his home," said Capt. Steve Johnson, chief investigator for the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department. "Although law enforcement never wants citizens to take the law into their own hands, in this incident it was a volatile situation."

Kirk has been charged with attempted burglary. His bail is set at $25,000 and he remains in custody in the St. Clair County Jail.