Dunning resident shoots suspected home burglar; reported burglaries up 54 percent in 16th District in 2023
by BRIAN NADIG
A Dunning homeowner shot a suspected burglar in his left forearm at about 1:20 a.m. Sunday, March 5, inside the owner’s house in the 3600 block of North Newcastle Avenue, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The resident reported that he was awakened by his dog barking and that he then called out his son’s name and when no one responded, he retrieved his gun and went to search his home, according to police.
He also told police that when he went to check the basement, his dog ran in front of him and made a distressing sound and that he then saw a man in the basement holding a dark object, police said. He told officers that he instructed the man not to move and fired one shot after the man allegedly began moving toward him, police said.
The basement lights reportedly were off during the interaction, police said.
The man, who was transported in serious condition to Lutheran General Hospital, reportedly told officers that “she told me” the side door would be open, police said. There were no signs of forced entry on the home’s side door, and it may have been left unlocked, police said.
The suspect, who was identified by police as Jeremy Tyler Polfliet, age 27, of the 3600 block of Esquire Lane, Georgia, was charged with residential burglary, police said.
The homeowner has an Illinois firearms owner identification card, police said.
The incident marks the second time this year in the 16th District that a resident shot a suspected home intruder. The other occurred on Monday, Jan. 30, when an 80-year-old man shot the intruder in his chest.
he number of reported burglaries in the 16th District is up 54 percent this year when compared to the same period last year, from 54 to 83.
