Full Notification

On 10/26/11 a home invasion occurred in the 12300 block of Pine Pl, Palos Heights, IL. During the incident, a male suspect forced entry through the front door and once inside, encountered the 80 year old female homeowner. The male suspect sprayed the victim with a chemical spray believed to be pepper spray, and then stole jewelry from the residence before fleeing.

On Thanksgiving Day, 11/24/11, the homeowners of a residence in the 12400 block of 71st Ave, returned home after celebrating the holiday with relatives, and found their home had been burglarized. The suspect(s) emptied a bag of dog food on the kitchen floor to keep the family dog occupied, while they stole miscellaneous currency, jewelry and heirlooms from a family member that had recently passed away.

During the past month, the Palos Heights Bureau of Investigations, worked in conjunction with the Southwest Major Case Unit, DuPage County Sheriff’s Ofc, and Alsip Police Dept, as it was learned several jurisdictions had similar incidents, and were believed to have been committed by the same suspects.

On 12/8/11, the suspects in these incidents, Mark Stanko (DOB:07/25/1985) and Tracy Denell (DOB:08/04/1983), of the 11100 block of Avon St, Alsip, IL, were arrested. A search warrant was executed at their residence, and proceeds from these incidents and others, were found in the home. Both have been charged with Home Invasion, Residential Burglary, and Armed Robbery, and had a bond hearing in DuPage County on 12/09/11, at which time Stanko was ordered held on $750,000 bail and Denell on $500,00 bail.