Chicago teen accused of stealing over $1K in clothing, flipping Jeep during Oak Brook police chase
OAK BROOK - A Chicago teenager accused of shoplifting more than $1,000 in merchandise from an Oak Brook store and leading police on a high-speed chase was ordered detained Thursday.
The backstory:
The 17-year-old appeared at a detention hearing Thursday morning on charges of burglary, retail theft and aggravated fleeing and eluding, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.
Prosecutors allege the teen entered the Alo store at about 6:40 p.m. Wednesday and selected clothing valued at $1,010 before entering a fitting room.
Authorities said the teen concealed the merchandise under his own clothing and left the store without paying. He then met with several other individuals, got into a red Jeep Wrangler and drove away from the area, according to prosecutors.
An Oak Brook police officer followed the Jeep, and the teen allegedly accelerated to more than 70 mph in a 25 mph zone while traveling north on Spring Road.
Prosecutors said the Jeep crossed into oncoming traffic, causing another vehicle to veer off the road. The Jeep then left the roadway and rolled over.
After the crash, the teen allegedly attempted to flee on foot but was taken into custody a short time later.
What they're saying:
"The allegations that this juvenile stole more than one thousand dollars’ worth of merchandise from the Alo store and then led police on an extremely dangerous high-speed chase on busy roads that ended only after he flipped his vehicle are outrageous," DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said. "The juvenile’s alleged actions endangered not only his life and the lives of his passengers, but also the lives of the officers involved and countless innocent motorists and pedestrians. In DuPage County we have zero tolerance for the type of behavior alleged in this case."
"The Oak Brook Police Department has made it unmistakably clear that anyone who comes into our community intending to commit crimes or endanger others will be apprehended and held accountable" Oak Brook Police Chief Brian Strockis said. "This case is especially alarming because the juvenile offender demonstrated a reckless disregard not only for his own safety, but for the lives of innocent motorists and everyone sharing our roadways."
What's next:
The teen's next court appearance is scheduled for June 25.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by the DuPage County State's Attorney.