Tinley Park Man Admits to Breaking Into Several Cars, Police Say

A Tinley Park man was arrested over the weekend after police said they connected him with at least four attempted car break-ins on Jean Lane.

Adam S. Hofkamp, 25, of the 16600 block of Jean Lane, was charged July 31 with four counts of criminal damage to property after they said he tried to break into at least four vehicles near his apartment.

A 58-year-old woman, whose Honda was parked in the area, called police to report that between 6:30 p.m. July 30 and 8:30 a.m. July 31, someone pried the door handle off her vehicle. At the time of her call, police already had Hofkamp in custody after someone spotted him around 1:30 a.m. trying to get into their car, police said.

Two other residents in the area also called the cops about damage to their cars. None of the callers said their vehicles had been entered.

"Hofkamp had several items in his possession at the time of his apprehension, two cameras, a radar detector, a power cord for a Garmin GPS, one black glove, a folding knife, a flashlight and a pry bar," police said.

Hofkamp admitted to trying to break into several cars, but didn't know how many, police said. Since the items he reportedly was caught with had not been reported stolen, police weren't able to charge him with burglary to a motor vehicle.

He was shown photos of the second break-in and said he "used a crowbar to knock the door handle off the driver's side door," according to the report.

"Hofkamp stated he could not recall where the complainant's vehicle was parked because he had taken several Xanax pills and drank four 24-ounce beers," police said.