5 arrested after Edgewater carjacking leads to police chase down LSD

CHICAGO (SUN TIMES MEDIA WIRE) - Five suspects of an armed carjacking were arrested Thursday morning after a police chase down Lake Shore Drive that began in the Edgewater neighborhood on the North Side and ended near the South Side Oakland neighborhood.

At 12:02 a.m., a 47-year-old off-duty police officer was walking in the 5800 block of North Winthrop Avenue after parking her sports-utility vehicle when five males swarmed her, according to Chicago police.

One of them pointed a handgun at her and demanded her SUV before snatching the keys from her hand, police said. They then sped off in the vehicle.

Officers in a nearby area spotted the SUV and began pursuing it, with backup cars soon tagging behind, police said. The chase ended in the 5500 block of South Lake Shore Drive near 40th Street when the suspects ditched the stolen SUV and ran away.

They were soon caught and taken into custody, police said. Both the weapon and SUV were recovered, and charges were pending.

The woman was not injured, police said. Area North detectives were investigating.