Prosecutors say a Chicago man burglarized a work crew’s van while wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet for two pending burglary cases. And, incredibly, the arrest occurred about two hours after he left the police station on a recognizance bond after a concealed carry holder held him at gunpoint for allegedly breaking into yet another car.
Rodolfo Santillan’s really bad day began around 10:20 a.m. last Tuesday in the 5400 block of West Belmont, when the 49-year-old concealed carry holder walked out of a store and allegedly saw Santillan inside his vehicle.
The licensed firearm carrier pulled out his gun and pointed it at Santillan at the exact moment that a Chicago police officer was passing by. The cop, thinking the concealed carry holder might be robbing someone, pointed his gun at the concealed carry holder, who placed his weapon on the ground, and then explained what happened, according to a CPD spokesperson.
Officers arrested Santillan, charged him with misdemeanor criminal trespass to a vehicle, and he walked out of the Austin (25th) District station at 4:37 p.m., according to CPD records.
About two hours later, Chicago police arrested Santillan again. This time it was in the 5000 block of West Belmont.
Prosecutor Victor Aberdeen said that two workers were detaining Santillan when officers arrived to investigate a vehicle break-in report. They told the police that they had caught Santillan inside their work van. Cops also allegedly found doorbell camera footage of Santillan taking work tools out of a nearby car.
The entire time, Santillan was wearing an ankle monitor for two pending burglary cases, according to Aberdeen.
In the first case, dating from October 29, 2021, Santillan is accused of breaking into a car in the 6000 block of West Cornelia to steal a pair of gloves, a phone charger, and money. The other case, from December 2021, accuses him of burglarizing a car in the 3200 block of North Narragansett.
Aberdeen says that Santillan was found guilty of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in 2015 and again in 2018.
Judge William Fahy held Santillan without bail for violating bond in his pending cases. Fahy ordered Santillan to pay a $7,500 bail deposit on the new charges.
Please support CWBChicago’s reporting efforts with a contribution or subscription.