Two men who burglarized an Edgewater apartment building in August were arrested Tuesday when they tried to break into the building again, prosecutors said. Patrick Carter, 43, and Derrick Stokes, 39, are charged with felony burglary and theft.
Surveillance video footage allegedly shows Carter, Stokes, and a third man entering the building on the 5400 block of North Kenmore around 12:30 p.m. August 5. Carter manipulated the inner door with a tool while Stokes blocked the view from potential witnesses, prosecutors said.
All three men then entered the building, went to the mailroom, collected boxes, and walked out the back door, according to the state’s allegations. CPD distributed images of the suspects to local cops, and one officer recognized Carter and Stokes from previous contact with the men.
On Tuesday, police who responded to a burglary in progress call at the same apartment building arrested Carter and Stokes as the men tried to break into the complex, prosecutors said during a bond hearing. One of the officers recognized them as the August break-in suspects.
Stokes was ordered held in lieu of $20,000 bail by Cook County Judge John Lyke. He has four previous felony convictions, most recently for aggravated battery of police in 2008, prosecutors said.
Lyke set bail for Carter at $40,000. Carter’s record includes felony convictions for armed robbery, aggravated discharge of a firearm, and other violations.
The men will need to post 10% deposit bonds to get out of jail before trial.