An apartment management worker stole tenants’ bicycles from West Town to Edgewater by exploiting his access to the company’s master keys, prosecutors said during a bond court appearance this week.
Juan Aceves-Perez was in court to face his fourth burglary charge Wednesday, weeks after the state filed three initial cases in August. Police first arrested Aceves-Perez on August 24 after he arranged to sell a stolen bike to undercover officers via the OfferUp app, according to prosecutors.
During Wednesday’s court appearance, authorities said Aceves-Perez used the management company’s master keys to steal bikes from secure areas of apartment buildings on the 5500 block of North Winthrop in Edgewater on February 24; the 900 block of West George in Lakeview on August 9 and August 22; and the 700 block of North Winchester in West Town on August 22.
Investigators found multiple bikes in Aceves-Perez’s own apartment after he gave them permission to search the premises last month, prosecutors said. A search warrant executed on his OfferUp account revealed that he was trying to sell other bikes, too, according to prosecutors.
The same management company operates all three apartment buildings, authorities said. Aceves-Perez, 41, has no criminal background.
Judge Arthur Willis released Aceves-Perez on a recognizance bond after the August hearing. On Wednesday, Judge David Navarro again released Aceves-Perez on his own recognizance because the fourth crime allegedly occurred before he was initially arrested.