COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Three burglars were arrested this week after an off-duty police officer spotted them leaving his neighbor's house with a flat screen TV, prosecutors said Thursday.
Eric Harris, Tony Jelks and Jesse Hall first captured the officer's attention about 10:45 p.m. Wednesday when he saw a van facing the wrong direction on his Garfield Ridge block, Assistant State's Attorney Erin Antonietti said during a bond hearing Thursday.
The officer watched as Harris, 27, and Jelks, 22, walk toward the van — only to be followed moments later by Hall, 25, who was carrying a flat screen TV off a neighbor's property, prosecutors said.
The officer reported a burglary in progress and gave police the van's license plate number, Antonietti said.
But when officers spotted the vehicle a few minutes later, Harris, who was driving, refused to stop, according to prosecutors. He led officers on a brief chase, which was cut short when one of the van's tires blew out, Antonietti said.
All three men jumped out the van and started to run away, but police were able to arrest the trio about 10:53 p.m. near 43rd Street and Keating Avenue, police said.
Harris, of the 6600 block of South Damen Avenue, is currently on parole for a gun conviction. He was previously convicted in two residential burglary cases. According to prosecutors, Harris and Hall were accomplices in one of those cases.
Jelks, of the 6500 block of South Green Street, previously has been convicted of robbery and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Hall, also of the 6500 block of South Green Street, previously has been convicted of residential burglary and possession of a stolen vehicle. Harris and Hall were accomplices in the 2010 burglary, prosecutors said.
Each man was arrested Wednesday and charged with residential burglary.
On Thursday, Cook County Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil set bail at $125,000 each.
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