CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio) – A Chicago man accused of repeatedly damaging firehouses and firefighters’ personal vehicles on the city’s South Side has been ordered held in custody following a court hearing that revealed new details about the case.
Jacob Bogdan, 26, is charged with two felony counts of criminal damage to government property and 19 felony counts of criminal damage to property. A judge ordered him detained pending trial during a hearing Sunday in Cook County court.
Prosecutors said Bogdan carried out a series of incidents between February and April at multiple firehouses, causing more than $130,000 in damage.
According to court records, the first incident happened Feb. 5 at a firehouse in the 200 block of West Cermak Road, where Bogdan allegedly smashed garage windows and damaged equipment. A second incident on March 16 at a firehouse in the 100 block of East Pershing Road caused about $20,000 in damage.
Prosecutors said Bogdan returned to that same Pershing Road firehouse on April 6, entering a fenced parking area and using an axe to damage 12 firefighters’ personal vehicles. Days later, on April 10, he allegedly used an axe again to damage seven more vehicles at a firehouse in the 100 block of West 59th Street.
During that most recent incident, prosecutors said a firefighter confronted Bogdan and chased him from the scene.
All four incidents were captured on surveillance video, and investigators later identified Bogdan as the suspect. He was arrested Saturday in the 200 block of West Cermak Road.
In court, prosecutors said Bogdan told police he “has problems with firefighters” and claimed he carried the axe for protection.
Court records also show Bogdan has a prior conviction for damaging government property in 2023, for which he was sentenced to prison in 2024.
Bogdan is scheduled to return to court for a status hearing on April 17.
