A 23-year-old man has been charged with burglary after being found inside a cancer treatment center with stolen items, as announced by Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. On Monday, April 21, at about 7:00 a.m., Sheriff’s Police responded to a reported burglary at the Illinois Cancer Specialists Center in unincorporated Maine Township. Officers discovered Leon Walker in possession of a screwdriver, cash, three company credit cards, and 14 gift cards, all while wearing a facility t-shirt. Walker was then arrested and taken to Sheriff’s Police Headquarters.
The investigation revealed that Walker, neither a patient nor an employee, had entered the center over the preceding weekend and had been residing there. Staff confirmed the items found with Walker belonged to the facility. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office later approved felony charges of burglary and possession of burglary tools against him.
Residing in the 0-100 block of North Lorel Avenue in Chicago’s South Austin neighborhood, Walker attended his initial court hearing at the Skokie Courthouse, where a judge released him pending trial. His next court hearing is set for May 28.
The public is reminded that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.