Stolen vehicle bursts into flames after crashing into city truck on Chicago's North Side
CHICAGO - A stolen car burst into flames Monday morning after crashing into a Department of Streets & Sanitation truck in Lincoln Square.
Four people were later arrested in connection to the incident after they were found hiding in a nearby garage.
Around 10:43 a.m., police say they located a stolen Hyundai in the 5100 block of North Oakley Avenue that was suspected of being used in a previous armed robbery.
While traveling southbound on Oakley in an attempt to flee, the Hyundai collided with a Streets & Sanitation vehicle that was stopped at a stop sign, police said. The Hyundai caught fire and four suspects fled from the vehicle.
SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 CHICAGO ON YOUTUBE
"Definitely scary thinking about your wife and kids out walking around really close by when all of this is happening," said Leon Shepard, who lives nearby.
"It’s total chaos," said Elizabeth Luxem, neighbor. "Thank God nobody got hurt."
While police investigated, area schools, including Amundsen High School and Chappell Elementary School were placed on a soft lockdown.
"My little brother actually goes [to Chappell] and my little cousin goes to Amundsen so I heard something about the schools were on lockdown for a bit, and I kind of got worried there for a second but thankfully everyone is OK," said Heriberto Molina, who lives nearby. "Very lucky, because anything could have happened here."
Alderman Andre Vasquez of the 40th Ward happened to be in the area when the incident unfolded.
"I’m at the intersection of Foster and Oakley and just happened to look over and see a car on fire," said Ald. Vasquez.
He tells FOX 32 Chicago the four offenders were arrested when they were found hiding in a garage less than one block away.
"And because neighbors were communicating with each other and one of the neighbors had a camera facing the back, they knew, ‘hey they’re here,’ and were able to call the officers," said Vasquez.
Vasquez returned to the neighborhood Monday evening to pass out notices about the incident.
Detectives are still investigating the armed robbery, and looking into whether the offenders were involved in any other area crimes.
"If you’ve got four individuals and a vehicle – and this did not appear to be their first time – you want to see if they’re tied to any other incidents, either the armed robberies or carjackings. We’ve had an uptick in the last number of weeks," said Vasquez. "We’re all hopeful that it is tied to those and that there is no longer the continued activity if those were the individuals that are responsible."
No injuries were reported from the traffic crash.
Three guns were recovered during this incident.
Charges against the four suspects are pending.