Footprints In Snow Near Crystal Lake Menards Lead Police To Burglar
CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. (CBS) -- Footprints in the snow turned out to be the key in a burglary case in Crystal Lake.
As WBBM Newsradio's Lisa Fielding reports, on several occasions going back to December, a burglar made off with hand tools, power tools and copper wiring at both the Crystal Lake and Fox Lake Menards stores.
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But it was a trail behind the Crystal Lake store, at 4580 Northwest Highway, that led police to Wallace Henshall, 47. Henshall was renting a storage unit at the Space Management facility behind the store, and left footprints in the snow leading to the unit.
He had allegedly broken into the Menards by removing a glass pane from the store's garden center.
Henshall had allegedly tried to sell the loot on Craigslist. On Feb. 24, Crystal Lake police went undercover and called Henshall, pretending to be interested in buying the items he was advertising.
When Henshall came out to meet with what he thought was the prospective buyer, he was arrested. Police also executed a search warrant on his storage locker and found the missing merchandise, as well as a stolen Ford Ranger pickup truck from Buss Ford.
Henshall was initially charged with one count each of burglary, theft, and possession of burglary tools. He was released from custody on $50,000 bond.
But after police secured an additional charge of unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, his bond was raised to $100,000. As of Wednesday, he remained in custody at the McHenry County Jail.
