Regional investigators and local police say a single license plate hit was the key to unraveling what they describe as a burglary crew posing as construction workers to slip into homes. A camera in Divernon, Ill., picked up the plate on Wednesday, and investigators say that alert set off a chain of traffic stops and arrests in multiple jurisdictions. Authorities tied the same group to burglaries reported in O'Fallon, Mo.
According to a Facebook post from the St. Charles County Police Department, investigators with the Regional Information and Intelligence Center used that license plate hit to identify the suspect vehicle and at least one suspect, then pushed the information to local officers, who found the vehicle and took people into custody. The post also states that the RIIC's technological and investigative tools helped stop and apprehend another alleged criminal before any additional crimes were carried out in the community.
How the RIIC tracked the suspects
The Regional Information and Intelligence Center, a shared unit between St. Charles County and St. Louis County, pulls together camera feeds and license plate hits and sends live leads to officers on patrol, the county explains. The county's site notes, "We get license plate hits, and we put them out to officers that are on the road live," underscoring how those alerts can quickly turn into stops and arrests. County officials say that system is what allowed investigators to follow the suspect vehicle and coordinate with multiple local departments across jurisdictional lines.
What residents should watch for
Police warn that a common tactic involves people showing up in work vests or carrying tools and asking to enter a home. Residents are urged to ask for identification and confirm that anyone claiming to be a contractor actually works for a known company before letting them inside. If you see suspicious behavior or believe a crime is happening, call 911. For situations that are not urgent, use your local department's non-emergency line so officers can check credentials and follow up. Investigators say community photos and video can be valuable evidence, so keep any relevant footage and provide it to detectives if requested.
The department's Facebook post does not list any specific charges for the people who were taken into custody, and it is not yet clear what, if any, formal bookings will follow. Police ask anyone with information connected to these incidents to contact their local law enforcement agency and refer to the investigation described in the department's post.
