EDWARDSVILLE - An East Alton, Illinois, man was charged today in Madison County Circuit Court, with two felony charges of Residential Burglary, Madison County Sheriff John D. Lakin said today.
John R.D. Nowlin, 21, of the 300 block of North Center Street in East Alton, was the man charged.
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On July 29, 2015, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report from an elderly resident residing in the 900 block of West Airwood Drive, East Alton. The caller reported they had been the victim of theft. Specifically, the victim reported being approached by Nowlin who had been going door to door in the neighborhood soliciting to mow lawns and do menial hard work for money. The victim allowed Nowlin to do yard work. While at the residence Nowlin entered the home unbeknownst to the resident and stole money from the homeowner.
Detectives with the sheriff’s office initiated an investigation and discovered Nowlin had victimized the original reporting party on numerous occasions. The burglaries occurred from June 2015 through August 2015 and involved Nowlin entering the home of the victim without the owner’s knowledge and stealing money.
Investigative efforts revealed Nowlin had victimized a second family in the Rosewood Heights area by entering their home and taking money during the same time period as noted above.
Nowlin frequented the Rosewood Heights area and would target elderly residents. He would ask to do yard work and attempt to gain the trust of those who provided work for him. Nowlin would enter the homes of unsuspecting victims while the home owners were distracted, or sometimes by using the ruse of asking to use the restroom or requesting a cold drink.
Madison County Sheriff’s Office investigators believe Nowlin has victimized other residents in the area who have yet to contact authorities to report the thefts. The sheriff’s office strongly encourages anyone who has information about this investigation or those who have fallen victim to Nowlin to contact the Madison County Sheriff’s Office to file a report.
Nowlin was arrested on Sept. 1, 2015, without incident in East Alton, Illinois. Nowlin was remanded to the Madison County Jail pending a formal review of facts by the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The warrant and information on Nowlin was signed by the Honorable Judge Neil Schroeder. Bond was set at $200,000.
To contact the Madison County Sheriff’s Department with any information, here are the contact numbers:
Main Dispatch: (618) 692-4433
Anonymous Tip-Line: (618) 296-3000
Investigation: (618) 692-0871
