MT. VERNON, IL — The Mt. Vernon Police Department (MVPD) has made multiple arrests in connection with recent vehicle burglaries.

According to the MVPD, they received a report early Thursday morning of two suspicious males in the area of Westbrook Drive in Mt Vernon. The caller reported the subjects had been walking around vehicles and under carports in the area. Officers responded and observed the two male subjects exiting an unsecured storage shed. They then reportedly ran from the initial officer. However, additional units were able to locate the two men attempting to hide in a brushy area around Westbrook and Southbrook. The officers continued the investigation and located property that was later determined as stolen from an unlocked vehicle in the 300 block of North 8th. The owner of that vehicle was not aware it had been burglarized until contacted by officers. Officers arrested 18-year-old Robert B Altom on preliminary charges of Criminal Trespass to Property, Criminal Trespass to a Motor Vehicle, Resisting / Obstructing Arrest and Possession of Stolen Property. Altom was taken to the Jefferson County Jail to await the formal filing of charges and the setting of bond. Also, charged in this incident was a 15-year-old juvenile with Criminal Trespass to Property and Resisting / Obstructing Arrest. The juvenile was released to family.

Then early Friday morning, officers responded to the 800 block of Apricot for a report of a burglary to a motor vehicle. Officers learned a loaded handgun had been stolen from an unlocked vehicle. As one officer took the offense information additional officers responded to the area to search for suspects or additional offenses. While officers were checking the area the police department received a report of a person burglarizing a vehicle in the 600 block of Pear. Officers arrived on scene within a minute and located the offender, 22-year-old Xander Calip burglarizing the reporting person’s vehicle. Upon taking Calip into custody, the officers found he was armed with the loaded, stolen handgun taken during the vehicle burglary in the 800 block of Apricot. Calip was taken to the Jefferson County Jail on preliminary charges of Possession of a Stolen Firearm, Possession of a Stolen Firearm in Commission of a Criminal Offense, Armed Habitual Offender, Criminal Trespass to a Vehicle, and Burglary. He remains in custody awaiting the formal filing of charges and the setting of bail.