A resident of Arlington Heights and a resident of Chicago have been charged in connection with a burglary spree that occurred across several Lake County communities in late November and early December. The residential burglaries took place in unincorporated Lake County, Lincolnshire, and Highland Park.
On Thursday, December 4, 2025, detectives arrested Kevin Miller, 26, of the 2000 block of South Goebbert Road, Arlington Heights, and Matthew Ristick, 18, of the 6200 block of Diversey Avenue, Chicago.
On Sunday, November 30, 2025, residences in unincorporated Gurnee, unincorporated Libertyville, and Lincolnshire were burglarized. On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, a residence in Highland Park in Lake County and Tinley Park in Cook County was burglarized. Charges details are available for the Lake County cases, but the charge details for the Tinley Park case are not initially available.
DETAILS OF THE CASES
Unincorporated Gurnee Burglary
Sunday NOV 30 2025 3:50 PM – Police surveillance on a black GMC pickup truck occupied by Matthew Ristick and his wife, Couple located on video surveillance at a gas station.
Sunday 4:14 PM to 4:21 PM – Couple traveled to victim house in unincorporated Gurnee. Ristick allegedly smashed the rear window of the home, and entered.
The victim, who was not home, but later reported theft of jewelry consisting of three rings, 12 necklaces and two jewelry boxes.
Distinctive grid square pattern observed in footprint by investigators.
Unincorporated Libertyville Burglary
Sunday evening – Police surveillance continued, following the suspect to victim house in unincorporated Libertyville.
The victim was not home, but a maintenance man for the property noticed a light on inside, and when he checked on security of the residence, he noticed Ristick inside the home carrying a bedsheet full of items as he came down the stairs. The items had been removed from a second-floor bedroom.
When he was confronted, he ran from the home and yelled “Fire,” but dropped a blue surgical glove. The surgical glove matched a blue glove seen in surveillance video at the gas station earlier.
On Monday, the maintenance man identified Ristick in a police photo lineup.
Lincolnshire Burglary
Sunday 6:00 PM – Police surveillance continued as Ristick traveled to a victim home in Lincolnshire.
Residents arrive home at 6:30 p.m. to find their door wide open, and found that a patio paver brick had been thrown through the sliding glass door at the back of the home. The victim also reported that multiple jewelry items were missing amounting to a total loss ranging from $10,000 to $15,000.
Police discovered that the master bedroom had been ransacked.
The NORTAF task force confirmed to Lincolnshire police officers that they were conducting surveillance on the vehicle, and that it was in the area at 5:36 p.m., and was stationary for about 8-9 minutes. The residents had left their home about 5:20 p.m.
Investigators again discovered a footprint impression with a grid square pattern.
Highland Park Burglary
Wednesday DEC 3 2025 10:09 PM to 10:15 PM – Police surveillance indicates the black GMC pickup truck was near victim home in Highland Park.
Police discovered shattered glass by the rear door of the residence, and a concrete umbrella stand base inside the home. The umbrella stand base was believed to have been used to shatter the window.
The victim in the home was in her bedroom when she heard knocking, and walked to another bedroom and saw a black pick up truck in her driveway. Then she heard glass shatter on the first floor and saw a male wearing a dark gray jacket and a dark baseball cap near her security system. He was apparently trying to turn off the alarm system. She yelled “police” and attempted to call the police.
The offender yelled “fire” as he fled the home.
Again, investigators discovered a footprint with a grid square pattern in Highland Park.
Surveillance in Chicago
Wednesday 10:38 PM – Both Kevin Miller and Matthew Ristick inside the black GMC pickup truck were observed by police at a BP gas station in Chicago.
Tinley Park Burglary
Police surveillance continued to Tinley Park, where another burglary was reported.
Again, investigators discovered a footprint with a grid square pattern in Tinley Park.
Arrest in Chicago
Thursday DEC 4 2025 – 3:50 AM
Members of the Lincolnshire Police Department, Highland Park Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF) reviewed surveillance video and other evidence, developing leads indicating Ristick and Miller were responsible for the burglaries.
Following the investigation, Miller and Ristick were taken into custody on December 4, 2025, and were booked in Lake County Jail on Friday, December 5, 2025..
After reviewing the facts and circumstances of the incidents, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved the following charges:
Kevin Miller of Arlington Heights:
1 Count of Residential Burglary (Class 1 Felony) Highland Park
Matthew Ristick of Chicago:
4 Counts of Residential Burglary (Class 1 Felonies) Lincolnshire, Highland Park, unincorporated Lake County (2)
NORTAF and area detectives continue to investigate, and additional charges are possible.
Ristick and Miller appeared in court Friday morning, December 5, 2025 and were ordered detained pending a detention hearing this afternoon.
Kevin Miller’s next court date is December 17, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. in Lake County Courtroom 020. The arresting agency for Kevin Miller is the Highland Park Police Department.
Matthew Ristick’s next court date is January 2, 2026 at 9:00 p.m. in Lake County Courtroom 020. The arresting agencies for Matthew Ristick are Lincolnshire Police Department, Highland Park Police Department, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
— Lake County Sheriff’s Office
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