A suspect described by authorities as “one of the most prolific, if not the most prolific safecrackers, in the Chicago area in the last 20 years” has been arrested, police said Monday.
The suspect, Michael Paulson, 30, of 33 King Arthur Ct., Northlake, confessed to 22 safecracking jobs since he was paroled from a state prison Jan. 15, said Sgt. Tony DeLeonardis of the Grand-Central Area property crimes unit.
Seven detectives arrested Paulson Sunday when he visited his wife in a trailer park at 7500 Elmhurst Rd., Des Plaines.
He was charged with six burglaries. Other charges are possible, police said.
After he was identified as a suspect, police tricked Paulson into showing up at the trailer court by circulating a phony report that the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services might take his daughter because he was a criminal and an unfit father.
DeLeonardis said Paulson had been in prison in Illinois and Arkansas most of the time since 1980 until he was paroled nearly three months ago from the Menard Correctional Center.
Since January, 22 safecracking jobs were reported on the North and Northwest Sides in car washes, gas stations and stores with a total loss of $50,000 in cash, police said.
Based on the skillful methods employed, police suspected Paulson.
An alleged accomplice, Peter Dobricic, 32, of 1432 N. LaSalle St., was arrested March 24 and is charged with five burglaries, police said.
DeLeonardis said safecrackers are extremely rare these days.
