Chicago man arrested in alleged arson, car theft
By JIM BUTTS - jbutts@nwherald.com
CRYSTAL LAKE – A Chicago man was arrested Monday and charged with burglarizing a home, intentionally starting the residence on fire and taking a vehicle from the garage over the weekend.
Thomas A. Puciniski, 24, who has a last known address of 6039 Montrose Ave., Chicago, confessed to the crimes Monday, Crystal Lake police said in a news release.
Chicago police arrested Puciniski on Monday in the Jefferson Park neighborhood for allegedly possessing the red 1992 Honda Civic taken in the burglary, police said.
Crystal Lake detectives then went to Chicago to interview Puciniski.
He later was released into their custody.
The investigation began after a fire caused an estimated $350,000 in damages to 585 Woodland Drive about 2:30 a.m. Saturday, police said.
The Honda was missing, and investigators suspected arson.
The residents of the home, which was deemed uninhabitable, were on vacation at the time of the fire, police said.
“There was no relation between [Puciniski] and the victims,” Crystal Lake Deputy Chief Dennis Harris said Monday. “We’re happy that [the victims] got a good closure to it.”
Puciniski is charged with residential arson, residential burglary, unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle and theft of more than $300, police said.
Arson and residential burglary are Class 1 felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison, unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle is a Class 2 felony punishable by up to seven years in prison, and theft of more than $300 is a Class 3 punishable by up to five years in prison.
Puciniski was taken to the McHenry County Jail on Monday pending an appearance in rights court today.
