Cops: Man had machine guns, hand grenades in Elgin storage unit

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Weapons found in an Elgin storage unit Aug. 12., 2016. | Elgin police

Authorities found hand grenades and machine guns inside a northwest suburban man’s storage unit in Elgin Friday night, police said.

About 9 p.m., Elgin police and federal immigration officers executed a search warrant inside the unit in the 600 block of Big Timber Road, according to a statement from Elgin police.

A bomb squad from the Kane County sheriff’s office was called after investigators found a cache of automatic weapons and hand grenades, police said. The grenades were secured and no one was hurt.

Juan Mexicano | Elgin police

Juan Mexicano | Elgin police

The renter of the unit was identified as 31-year-old Addison resident Juan Mexicano, police said. He was charged with five felony counts of possession of machine guns and was ordered held on a $1 million bond at a Monday hearing.

Federal investigators were tipped off to the unit as part of an ongoing investigation, police said.

“The amount of work invested by all involved culminated in extremely dangerous weapons being seized and prevented their possible use in our communities,” Elgin Lt. Adam Schuessler said in the statement.

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