8 arrested in connection with tri-county burglary ring
By Stephanie Baumer
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MADISON COUNTY, Illinois (KMOV) — Several suspects are in custody believed to be linked to a tri-county burglary ring in the Metro East.
In late July, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office began investigating an influx of burglaries and car thefts that had common denominators and some evidence that led them to believe the crimes were connected. The crimes occurred in Macoupin County, Jersey County and various jurisdictions in Madison County, according to the sheriff’s department.
The sheriff’s office teamed up with the Sheriff’s Enforcement Team Unit, Metro East Auto Theft Task Force, Alton Police Department, Wood River Police Department, Jersey County Sheriff’s Office and Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office to investigate. The group developed enough evidence to link several suspects to various incidents in the tri-county region.
A search warrant was executed in Moro on Aug. 11 and ended with numerous suspects in custody. Deputies were also reportedly able to recover one of the stolen cars along with a gun and narcotics. Authorities believed several other members of the burglary ring were still on the run.
On Aug. 13, two people were taken into custody after officers chased a stolen car on Interstate 55. A large amount of stolen property, narcotics and guns were seized at the end of the case, according to the sheriff’s office. The same day, another suspect was found in a stolen car near Cottage Hills.
Tuesday, police announced that eight people had been charged in the incidents: Matthew E. Bandy, 42, Bryan J. Hicks, 37, Billy J. McCane, 32, Chances R. Hart, 28, Kelsey L. Henke, 30, Curtis L. Faust, 22, Shirley K. Black, 30, and Larry D. Thompson, 35. In addition to various charges in Madison County, the suspects face additional charges from other city departments throughout other counties.
The sheriff’s office obtained multiple key fobs during their investigation. They released a photo of the items in hopes of locating their owners. If you recognize one of the key fobs in the photo, please contact the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
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