Crime & Safety
2 Charged in Guns, Ammo Burglary, Cops Say
Men gave themselves up after cops surrounded home. Stolen property recovered at scene, cops say.
Two men accused of stealing guns, ammo and lawn mowers from a Brandt Avenue home on April 9 have been charged with residential burglary, Oak Lawn Police said.
Anthony Grasso, 20, and James Pelikan, 25, were both taken into custody after the two gave themselves up after police surrounded a home in the 9600 block of Brandt Avenue the next day.
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Four shotguns, nine boxes of 12- and 20-gauge shotgun shells, assorted handgun ammo, gold and silver dollars, a 32-inch flat-screen TV and two lawn mowers were reported stolen from a home in the 9700 block of Brandt Avenue sometime between 11:30 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. April 9.
An observant neighbor provided police with a description of a red SUV that was parked in the alley.
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The next morning, an alert K9 officer spotted an SUV matching the description of the vehicle parked in the alley from the day before. The K9 officer also saw guns lying in the back seat similar to the weapons reported stolen, police said.
When the officer pulled up to talk to the person, he ran from the SUV into a house in the 9600 block of Brandt Avenue, police said.
After surrounding the home and putting nearby schools on soft lockdown, Grasso and Pelikan gave themselves up to officers, a police news release said.
A search warrant recovered property from the burglary in the SUV and the house. Police said both men have a relationship with one of the people living at the home.
The homeowner also identified the recovered property as the same items stolen from his home the day before, police said.
Bail for Grasso and Pelikan was set at $50,000. They’re due back in court on May 2 in Bridgeview.
Grasso resides in the 8700 block of South Merrimac in Oak Lawn. Pelikan’s address is listed in the 20400 block of Coventry Lane in Crest Hill.
Grasso remains jailed in Cook County Jail.
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