For some people, snow is a nuisance, little more than a good reason to stay indoors.
But for Elmhurst police, it was one of the keys to nabbing the duo they believe responsible for dozens of burglaries in the south end of town.

Last week, police arrested two Elmhurst residents shortly after another rash of motor vehicle and garage burglaries occurred in residential areas near the west end of St. Charles Road. An officer was able to track the offenders by their footprints, which led from various crimes scenes back to their apartment building in the 400 block of W. St. Charles, said Cmdr. Dan Buenz.

Police believe Patrick E. Tomaszkiewicz, 24, and Janine I. Gurgone, 23, both of 485 W. St. Charles, are responsible for as many as 60 burglaries to unlocked vehicles in garages over the last two months, Buenz said.

“There was a pattern that started at the end of September,” he said. “We were getting numerous burglaries on the south side of town and it was almost always to unlocked vehicles. (The offenders) were going out on foot from 10 or 11 (p.m.) to 2 or 3 in the morning, walking neighborhoods, checking garages.”

Buenz estimates Tomaszkiewicz and Gurgone stole thousands of dollars in clothing, electronics, cash and other items.

Each were charged with two counts of burglary, said Paul Darrah, spokesman for DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett. Those are Class 2 felonies, punishable by anywhere from three to seven years in prison, he said.

The pair were arrested at their apartment around 3 a.m. Dec. 7. Police believe they are responsible for as many as 15 burglaries that night, Buenz said.

The incidents make a strong case for locking up vehicles and garages, he said.

“If the cars were locked, they’d leave them alone,” Buenz said. “Their interest wasn’t in damaging property. It was those easy targets. And you wouldn’t believe what people leave in their cars.”

This fall, Elmhurst police launched “Lock It or Lose It,” a campaign to educate residents on the importance of securing their personal property. For more information on the program, call the police station at (630) 530-3050.