After an ISP investigation that has thus far spanned over a month, a Springfield individual has been arrested and released on bond for the theft of scrap metal from the old Building 29 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in the capital city – while two others remain at large.
Starting in July 2023, the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office began receiving numerous and various reports of burglaries and thefts occurring at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
While Illinois Department of Agriculture employees took measures to secure the vacant building, the burglaries and thefts continued.
Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division, working closely with security personnel from the Department of Agriculture, began investigating these burglaries.
On July 26, 2023 – at approximately 2:30 a.m. – deputies were alerted to a break-in at Building 29, and located Martin D. Atwood, 59, of Springfield, at the scene. Atwood was subsequently arrested and taken to jail on charges of Burglary and Possession of Burglary Tools.
Yet as the investigation continued, two other individuals became identified as suspects in the burglaries; the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office has since issued arrest warrants for David W. McCormick, 35, and Todd W. Tonelle, 58, both of Springfield.
The ISP notes that McCormick and Tonelle are both currently wanted on charges of Burglary and Theft charges, and have so far avoided arrest.
If anyone has information on the location of David McCormick or Todd Tonelle, please contact the Sheriff’s Office at (217) 753-6666.
