UPDATE: 2 Charged in Connection With Home Burglary; Police Still Questioning Other Suspect

Updated Thursday

Two of the three suspects arrested Wednesday night in connection with a home burglary have been charged, and police anticipating filing charges for the other suspect at a later date.

Paul R. Parker, 38, of Plainfield, was charged with burglary and property damage, according to the Will County Sheriff's Department.

Lorie A. Michalek, 42, of Plainfield, was charged in connection with Wednesday night's burglary and taken to Will County jail. She was also charged with driving without insurance or valid registration, having an expired license and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The third suspect, Daniel B. Michalek, 49, of Plainfield, was arrested Wednesday night but has not been formally charged with anything yet. Police could not release information why he hasn't been charged yet, but they do anticipate charging him with burglary.

Deputy Chief Bob Pawlisz said he didn't know for certain whether any copper piping was actually taken from the home, but he guessed that the suspects dropped it when they fled the scene.

"I don't think they had the opportunity to take anything from the house," Pawlisz said.

Previously

New Lenox police arrested two men and a woman Wednesday night in connection with an attempted home burglary.

A man on the 1100 block of Georgia's Way in New Lenox returned to his house, which is under construction, after being away for about an hour Wednesday afternoon. He heard noises coming from his basement, and when he went downstairs to check he saw one person flee from the scene through a window.

The target appeared to be copper piping, which the man said had been ripped out of place in his house when he called police at about 4 p.m. After searching the area for a couple of hours, police arrested three people, all from Plainfield*: Paul R. Parker, 38; Daniel B. Michalek, 49; and Lorie A. Michalek, 42.

As of Wednesday night, police were still interviewing them and determining which charges to prefer to the State Attorney's Office, Deputy Chief Bob Pawlisz said. He added that the addresses of the suspects were from their driver's licenses and that information hadn't been verified yet.

Pawlisz said police noticed Lorie Michalek driving and thought she appeared suspicious because she was circling the area. After arresting her, police started searching for the other two suspects around the area of Marley Road and Route 30. At about 6 p.m., police arrested Parker and Daniel Michalek at Walmart, 501 East Lincoln Highway, less than a mile southwest of the residence.

"We figured they would go south because there isn't much north of that area," Pawlisz said. "The Walmart is south of the residence, and our officers' hunches were correct."

An officer in plain clothes saw the other two suspects inside Walmart, and Pawlisz said they were covered in mud. The officer kept surveillance on them until uniformed officers arrived. When the officers entered Walmart, the suspects tried to flee.

Because the suspects had just been taken into the New Lenox Police Department, Pawlisz said he wasn't sure yet whether any copper piping was recovered or if any was even taken from the home because the homeowner intervened. Pawlisz didn't know an estimate of the damage done in the home.

New Lenox Police were assisted by the Will County Sheriff's Department and Joliet Police officer Bruce Trevillian, who is a k-9 specialist and helped the search using a tracking dog.

*A previous version of this article stated that Paul Parker was from Mokena. After further investigation, police identified that he is from Plainfield.