A 28-year-old man with a history of targeting elderly individuals is accused of entering a home on the Far Southwest Side and stealing a firearm, cufflinks, and $1,000 in cash. This occurred while an accomplice distracted the homeowner with a false utility-related pretext.
Peter Wanko has been detained on a burglary charge related to the January 20 incident on the 9900 block of South Fairfield Avenue.
According to prosecutors, an accomplice approached the 78-year-old victim’s door at about 3:50 p.m., posing as a ComEd employee, and convinced the man to step outside. While outside, Wanko allegedly entered the home and took the valuables. The victim later saw Wanko and the accomplice driving away and contacted the police.
Chicago Police Department surveillance footage showed Wanko exiting a vehicle at a gas station near the victim’s home approximately an hour before the burglary, according to prosecutors. A witness also identified him as one of the men leaving the victim’s home, as noted in court records.
Chicago police recently apprehended Wanko, who is now facing charges. Judge Luciano Panici, Jr. ordered him to be detained.
This is not Wanko’s first alleged offense against an elderly person. Court records indicate he received a two-year sentence in August for theft by deception. This case began as an aggravated home repair fraud involving a 71-year-old man on the city’s Northwest Side. Additionally, he has a 2023 residential burglary conviction.
Original reporting you’ll see nowhere else, paid for by our readers. Click here to support our work.
Tim Hecke is CWBChicago’s managing partner. He started his career at KMOX, the legendary news radio station in St. Louis. From there, he moved on to work at stations in Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York City. Tim went on to build syndicated radio news and content services that served every one of America’s 100 largest radio markets. He became CWBChicago’s managing partner in 2019.
His email address is tim@cwbchicago.com
