Two NIU students have been charged for five residential burglaries in the 1000 block of West Lincoln Highway.

Five burglaries were reported in the area between Oct. 21 and Oct. 27. All of the locations burglarized were apartments and the suspects gained entrance through doors left unlocked.

The break-ins took place in the late evening or early morning hours. Cash, credit cards and electronics were taken in most of the burglaries.

Kevin D. Johnson, 20, and Michael A. Mocerino, 19, both of DeKalb, were arrested and charged with five counts of residential burglary.

Johnson and Mocerino were going around the area, looking for apartment doors that were open, said Lt. Gary Spangler of the DeKalb Police Department.

“These could have been easily prevented,” he said. “Most of these people were home sleeping when the burglaries were committed.”

A surveillance video from a local convenient store depicted the suspects attempting to use one of the stolen credit cards, according to a DeKalb Police Department press release.

The suspects were identified from photos run in a Northern Star article, Spangler said, and the people who called in had seen the picture in the paper.

Most of the stolen property was recovered and the case information was given to NIU Student Affairs, he said.

“Keeping doors and windows locked when sleeping or away will help prevent these types of crimes,” according to the press release.

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