WINNETKA, Ill. — Local authorities are investigating a bizarre and escalating incident in a quiet North Shore neighborhood after an eight-year-old child was discovered alone inside a single-family residence amid what police now believe was an attempted burglary by an organized criminal duo.
According to the Winnetka Police Department, officers were dispatched late Tuesday evening following reports of suspicious activity at a brick Georgian home on Lincoln Boulevard. Upon arrival, they encountered extensive property damage, improvised security hazards, and signs of repeated forced entry attempts. Inside the residence, officers found Kevin McCallister, who appears to have been left behind after his family departed on an international holiday trip earlier this week.
Investigators say the home was targeted by two suspects believed to be operating under the moniker the “Wet Bandits,” a burglary pair known for flooding homes after robberies. The suspects, later identified as Harry Lyme and Marv Merchants, are thought to have conducted surveillance in the neighborhood for several days, posing as municipal workers to assess which properties were unoccupied.
What authorities did not anticipate was resistance from inside the home.
“Based on the scene, this was not a passive situation,” said one law enforcement official familiar with the investigation. “There were multiple improvised deterrents deployed throughout the residence. Paint cans, micro-machines, heated door handles, this was an active defensive response.”
Police confirmed that the child appears to have engineered an elaborate system of booby traps throughout the home, resulting in serious injuries to both suspects. Fire department officials described the scene as “unusual but effective,” noting that several hazards would likely violate multiple building and safety codes under normal circumstances.
Adding to the confusion was the delayed response time caused by widespread weather-related travel disruptions. Officials confirmed that the McCallister family had boarded an overseas flight before realizing their youngest member was missing. Due to international travel congestion, the family was unable to return immediately. Kevin’s mother, Kate McCallister, is reportedly on her way home in the back of a van owned by Gus Polinski and his polka band, The Kenosha Kickers.
“This is a perfect storm scenario,” said a representative from Chicago Police Department, which is assisting with the case. “Holiday travel. Severe weather. An empty neighborhood. And a motivated criminal element.”
Neighbors described the McCallister residence as “loud,” “over-decorated,” and “unusually well-lit” in recent days, with one resident reporting what sounded like “screaming, glass breaking, and cartoonishly violent accidents, as well as repeated yelling of the phrase, ‘Keep the change, ya filthy animal!”
Both suspects are currently hospitalized under police supervision. Charges are expected to include attempted burglary, conspiracy, and criminal trespass. Authorities have declined to comment on whether additional charges will be filed related to the extensive injuries sustained.
As for the child, officials say he is unharmed and currently in protective custody until reunited with his family. “This could have ended very differently,” said one officer at the scene. “But somehow, against all logic, it didn’t.”
This is a developing story. Authorities say the situation remains fluid as the situation unfolds overnight. For further updates, viewers are encouraged to monitor ongoing coverage or revisit the incident by watching Home Alone, now streaming on Disney+.
Merry Christmas.
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