Two individuals from Chicago taken into custody for a burglary at a Cicero establishment, reportedly hold an apartment occupant against their will.

 Two individuals from Chicago were taken into custody early on Thursday after they attempted to break into a business in Cicero and reportedly held a resident of a nearby apartment against their will. Jeremiah J. Mays, aged 47, and Maranda L. Butler, aged 20, face charges of burglary and unlawful restraint following the event, which took place around 1:30 a.m. in the 5600 block of West Roosevelt Road.

Cicero law enforcement was executing a focused operation to address a number of overnight business break-ins in the vicinity when an alarm from the establishment was triggered. When police arrived, they discovered the front glass door was broken and located Mays and Butler inside the locked business. After ensuring the safety of the premises, officers extended their search to a second-floor apartment situated above the establishment.

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Inside the apartment, they found the resident confined in a bedroom. It was reported that Mays and Butler had instructed the occupant to stay inside and locked the door during their illicit activities. The suspects were discovered hiding within the flat, and investigators recovered various items at the scene that connected them to the burglary.

While being interrogated, Mays and Butler confessed to the burglary, and further inquiries indicated that Mays was also linked to a similar business break-in in Blue Island, Illinois, dated November 11. Consequently, Mays is now facing charges for the Blue Island incident and is also being investigated for participation in other recent burglaries occurring in surrounding suburban regions, including Cicero.

The specialized patrol operation responsible for the arrests received partial funding from the Illinois Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Grant, which President Larry Dominick attributed as crucial to the initiative. Dominick also conveyed his appreciation to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul for endorsing the grant, which assisted local law enforcement in combatting the increasing trend of retail crime.

Mays and Butler remain in custody at the Cook County Jail as investigations into their involvement in other burglaries continue. The public is advised that the accusations against the suspects are merely allegations, and the defendants have the right to a fair trial, with the responsibility to prove guilt resting with the prosecution.