Home invasion suspects held on $1.5 million bond

ST. CHARLES – The two men charged with invading a St. Charles home this week are being held at the Kane County jail on $1.5 million bond, authorities said.

St. Charles police spokesperson Paul McCurtain said Redrell W. Bradley, 33, and Sam Aunner, 28, knocked on the door of a house in the 1500 block of Adams Avenue on Tuesday morning. They reportedly asked two of the occupants whether they wanted help installing Christmas decorations before showing a gun and forcing themselves inside.

The men brought the residents up to the second floor, where they then restrained them, McCurtain said, declining to go into further detail.

A third roommate in the basement called 911 after hearing his roommates say, "Don't shoot," as the men entered the house, McCurtain said. He said the roommate had the presence of mind to crawl out of a window, immediately contact 911 and talk with the Tri-Com dispatcher until police arrived.

Authorities were on the scene within minutes and saw the men run out the back door and into a field and wooded area just north of the house, McCurtain said. He noted both were taken into custody within six minutes of the initial call.

They had taken U.S. currency and cell phones from the occupants, both of which were recovered by police, McCurtain said.

The occupants, who had been hit by the men, were found restrained with cuts on their heads, McCurtain said. St. Charles fire paramedics treated the occupants at the scene, he said.

The victims told police they would seek additional medical assistance on their own.

Authorities recovered a firearm in the backyard and conducted another search Wednesday in the wooded area and field behind the house for the second gun, McCurtain said. It has not been found, he said.

The Kane County State's Attorney's Office authorized these charges against each of the men Tuesday night: one count of home invasion, a Class X felony; two counts of armed robbery, a Class X felony; two counts of aggravated illegal use of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony; and two counts of aggravated illegal restraint, a Class 3 felony, police said.

Bradley, of the 1N400 block of Park Boulevard, Glen Ellyn, has been convicted of multiple drug charges, aggravated battery and attempted armed robbery, police said.

Aunner, of the 2900 block of North Laramie, Chicago, has been convicted of aggravated battery with a firearm, police said.

Both are on parole. McCurtain said the Illinois Department of Corrections issued parole violation warrants after hearing of the home invasion.

McCurtain said police are examining whether the home invasion is related to an armed robbery in the 1500 block of Williams Avenue on Friday night. Similar weapons reportedly were used in both crimes, he said.

"We haven't had any trouble in that area previously," he added.

McCurtain advises residents not to open the door to strangers and to immediately call 911 if they see anything suspicious.

Anyone with information about either case is encouraged to contact Cmdr. Jerry Gatlin at 630-443-3739.