Will County law enforcement officials said Thursday they have broken up what they believe was the largest fencing operation in county history, with the seizure of nearly $500,000 in tools and construction equipment.
The items, ranging from portable drills to heavy-duty industrial equipment, were confiscated at three locations belonging to a Joliet businessman.
Although the man, his wife and a son have all been questioned, they have not been charged with any crime. But Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow said charges would be filed as soon as all the seized merchandise can be inventoried.
Police concede that not all the property taken from the three locations was stolen. Some items may legitimately belong to the family or the business.
“We have already identified a stolen surveyor’s camera worth about $12,000,” said County Sheriff Thomas Fitzgerald. “And we know there is other stolen property, but right now we’re trying to find out what’s been stolen and what has not.”
One Joliet police detective reportedly recognized property that his relatives had reported stolen and showed investigators the family name inscribed on the item.
All the goods were seized Wednesday at the businessman’s home in Mokena, and at his business and warehouse in Joliet. They were displayed at a press conference held by the Will County Cooperative Police Assistance Team, which announced the seizure.
Fitzgerald, Glasgow, Joliet Police Chief Joseph Beazley and CPAT Director Jack Townsend explained how extensive the operation had become as they displayed heavy duty saws, garage jacks, cords, tool sets and other equipment.
After the property has been sorted out, victims of recent thefts or burglaries will have a chance to identify their property, said Fitzgerald.
But Fitzgerald urged all those who may have been victimized by such a burglary to file reports to the local police department.
“This has been going on for a long time and most of the goods came from the four-county area of Cook, Will, Grundy and Du Page Counties,” said Townsend.
The police definition of a “fence” is a person who knowingly buys stolen property and resells it, usually for cash.
CPAT agents first became aware of the operation nearly two years ago because of a tip, said Townsend, and were able to infiltrate the operation.
Townsend said that the businessman “was running a legitimate business and using three tool trucks to make route deliveries. He was able to include stolen tools in his business.”
Although some of the tools seemed to have been stolen at random, Beazley suggested that burglars knew where to sell the things they stole.
“We had more than $100,000 worth of thefts during construction of the two riverboat docking sites,” said Beazley. “We hope when we start looking around, we’ll be able to solve some of the thefts.”
FBI agents were contacted because investigators believe some of the equipment was stolen from interstate shipments.
