Sure, the city has closed our lakefront and municipal golf courses, but that apparently didn’t stop a man from burglarizing the Sydney Marovitz Golf Course clubhouse Friday.
Joseph Malewski hid in a storage room when officers responded to the pro shop at 3600 North Recreation Drive around 3 a.m., according to police and prosecutors. He’s been charged with felony burglary.
The first cops who responded to a burglar alarm at the course didn’t notice anything unusual. Officers suspected the alarm was activated by a passing rainstorm, which can set off sensitive security systems.
But a course manager who inspected the building about 30 minutes later found a broken window and heard movement in a storage area, prosecutors said in bond court Saturday. He called 911 and officers returned to the scene.
Cops entered the building and found Malewski hiding behind a door in the storage area, according to police. He allegedly had a book bag stuffed with clubhouse merchandise, including clothes, an umbrella, and food. Prosecutors said he admitted to taking the items so he could sell them.
Judge David Navarro released Malewski on his own recognizance.
Police records show Malewski, 26, was arrested for criminal trespass to a vehicle, criminal trespass to land, and possession of a controlled substance in the Loop earlier this year. That case is ongoing.
