Lake County Gazette

Four suspects were arrested on the afternoon of April 16 following a residential burglary in Long Grove. The Lake County Sheriff's Office assisted the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF) with the arrests.

According to a Facebook post by the Lake County Sheriff's Office, NORTAF investigators observed a Range Rover driven by David C. Gomez Galindo, 40, from Cicero, which contained three suspected residential burglars. The vehicle entered Lake County and stopped at a residence in Long Grove. The post said that two passengers exited the vehicle and committed a residential burglary. A Mercedes-Benz driven by Daniel F. Ospina Lozano, 26, also from Cicero, arrived nearby to act as a lookout. NORTAF investigators requested assistance from the Lake County Sheriff's Office, prompting deputies and detectives to respond.

The post detailed that after the burglary, the two offenders returned to the Range Rover and fled the scene. A NORTAF investigator deployed a tire deflation device on the Mercedes-Benz as a sheriff's detective arrived on site. A sheriff's deputy and NORTAF investigators subsequently took Ospina Lozano into custody. Meanwhile, NORTAF investigators managed to stop the Range Rover as traffic backed up; its three occupants fled on foot but were apprehended by NORTAF investigators and deputies.

The four suspects were taken to the Lake County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division for further investigation. The Lake County State's Attorney's office reviewed the case and approved one count of residential burglary (Class 1 felony) for each of the four suspects. In addition to Ospina Lozano and Gomez Galindo, Haral S. Carter-Rocha, 21, from Chicago, and Brian E. Navarrete-Caballero, 31, also from Chicago, were arrested and charged.

NORTAF's investigation suggests that these four suspects are part of a larger burglary crew targeting homes within the Asian community. The investigation is ongoing with potential for additional charges. It is noted that defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg commented on the situation: "This is a great example of what we can accomplish when law enforcement agencies work together." He praised NORTAF for their efforts in conducting long-term investigations into burglary crews affecting suburban areas and expressed gratitude for their collaboration with his department’s Criminal Investigations Division.