Authorities say the same 35-year-old suspect is behind a series of truck burglaries at the Menards store in Normal.
Matthew Lawrence was arrested and charged Saturday with 10 counts of theft and burglary. Lawrence allegedly stole chainsaws, an eco gas blower, and other equipment from trucks during five separate incidents last summer. (Menards does not have a surveillance system that records the parking lot.)
Lawrence was allegedly caught burglarizing a vehicle in the Menards lot in November. Authorities traced him to the summer burglaries after tracking his history of pawning items in central Illinois, prosecutors said. Lawrence allegedly made around $7,500 from pawning the stolen items, prosecutors said.
Lawrence is due back in court for arraignment on Jan. 24. Theft and burglary charges stemming from the November arrest also remain pending, court records show.
