LISLE, Ill. — Three Illinois men are facing felony charges after authorities say they were part of a coordinated overnight scheme to steal and destroy police surveillance cameras used to track stolen vehicles, missing persons, and violent crime suspects.
According to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, Anthony Pareigis, 34, of Crestwood; Jacob Steichmann, 32, of Downers Grove; and Thomas Yano, 31, of Indian Head Park have each been charged with two counts of theft of government property and two counts of criminal damage to government-supported property. All three appeared in First Appearance Court, and officials stressed the charges remain allegations, with each man presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Investigators say the case began just after 1 a.m. on Saturday, July 26, when officers in unincorporated Lisle discovered that two automated license plate reader cameras had been ripped out and damaged. About an hour later, police allegedly spotted two masked figures dressed in black moving toward a third camera. One suspect was arrested on the spot, while another reportedly ran off before being caught nearby.
A search of the surrounding area led officers to a parked Subaru roughly 400 yards from the scene. Inside, authorities say they found several stolen cameras along with a folding ladder, gloves, a saw, and other tools apparently used to pry the devices loose. That discovery, officials said, helped identify the remaining two suspects, who were later arrested by Downers Grove police.
Each camera is estimated to be worth close to $2,800. Officials noted these devices play a direct role in solving missing-person cases, AMBER Alerts, and vehicle thefts — making their destruction a setback for active investigations across the county.
All three men are due back in court on August 24, 2026, before Judge Daniel Guerin.