Detectives Arrest Two Suspects In Willowbrook Home Invasion

DuPage County Sheriff John E. Zaruba announced today the arrest of two suspects who have been charged with a home invasion that occurred in unincorporated Willowbrook in November.

Police say a man . According to reports, the man subdued the homeowner, sprayed a chemical substance in her face, stole valuables and then fled.

Mark Stanko, 26, and Tracy Denell, 28, of the 11000 Block of South Avon in Alsip, each have been charged with one count of Home Invasion and Armed Robbery, which are both Class X felonies, and Residential Burglary which is a Class 1 felony.

After a month long investigation during which the Sheriff's office collaborated with the Palos Heights Police Department, similarities were discovered between the home invasion in unincorporated Willowbrook and several in the south suburbs. During the investigation, police learned that the suspects victimized elderly homeowners that had recently had furniture delivered.

A search warrant was executed at the home of Stanko and Denell in Alsip Thursday night, and items were found in the home that were reported stolen in  multiple crimes, including the incident in unincorporated Willowbrook.

The Sheriff's office could not be reached for comment at the time of this publication about whether this incident is in any way related to a string of burglaries that took place in nearby Indian Head Park and Burr Ridge over the summer.

Stanko and Denell are currently being held in the DuPage County Jail. They are scheduled to be in bond court today at 4 p.m.

Patch will update this story as information becomes available.