Four charged in Lake Forest vehicle burglaries

Four men are charged with burglary after a search Wednesday morning that put a north suburban elementary school on a soft lockdown.

Several burglars were caught breaking into a car at a home in the 1800 block of Farm Road in Lake Forest at 1:42 a.m., according to a statement from Lake Forest police.

Two of the suspects were immediately arrested, but two others ran away, police said. Before 10 a.m., the other two were taken into custody.

Those charged include Michael T. Allen, 22, of Lake Villa; Enrique A. Buitrago, 20, of Waukegan; Sean J. O’Reilly, 18, of Gurnee; and Jack D. Thomas, 18, of Grayslake, police said.

Each faces seven counts of felony burglary to a motor vehicle and seven counts of criminal damage to property, police said. They will appear for a bond hearing Thursday in Waukegan.

Lake Forest, Highland Park, Bannockburn, Deerfield and Lake Bluff police took part in a search for the suspects, along with two K-9 units and a police helicopter, police said.

Everett Elementary School, which is located about a mile from the reported burglary at 1111 Evert School Rd., temporarily went on soft lockdown during morning drop-offs and parents were notified of the situation, police said.

Evidence technicians on Wednesday also processed several cars in the neighborhood that were broken into overnight, police said.