Bandits Bust Into Area Businesses; Steal 27 Guns From Minooka Ace Hardware

MINOOKA, IL - Police are investigating common threads among break-ins this week to businesses spanning at least five zip codes, including that of Minooka, where 27 pistols were snatched from a secured case.

The burglaries occurred early Tuesday in Joliet, Coal City, New Lenox, Diamond and Minooka, according to The Herald-News.

Targeted sites included:

• Verizon Wireless, 435 W. Division St. in Coal City
• Diamond Liquors, 55 S. Bailey St., in Diamond
• Ace Hardware, 855 S. Ridge Road in Minooka
• AT&T, 728 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet
• Ranch Liquors, 1913 S. Chicago St. in Joliet Township
• Village Liquor Mart, 1306 N. Cedar Road in New Lenox
• Speedway, 301 W. Maple St. in New Lenox

Surveillance footage in all cases reportedly shows a dark-colored vehicle — in some instances, a black Ford Fusion — pulling up to the businesses prior to a trio of thieves forcing their way in via yellow crowbar or shattered glass. Some footage includes masked bandits looting items like cash registers, bottled liquor, cigarettes, and more.

Video of the Minooka break-in shows the three burglars chucking rocks through the hardware store doors around 2 a.m. They then made off with 27 pistols that had been locked in a display case, Minooka Police Chief Justin Meyer told Herald-News reporters.

Door were also broken in both Joliet incidents. Burglars did not steal anything from AT&T, police said, but they grabbed booze, cigarettes and $100 from the liquor store.

More on this story in The Herald-News.