Joliet man accused of home burglary, fleeing police while carrying gun

JOLIET, Ill. - A southwest suburban man who was already on pretrial release is facing new charges after police linked him to a home burglary and arrested him following a brief chase last week, authorities said.

Joliet crime

Joliet police said officers responded Sept. 1 to a home in the 200 block of Adella Avenue after the residents reported a burglary. The occupants were away when the home was entered through a rear door.

Numerous pieces of jewelry were reportedly stolen.

Detectives later identified the suspect as 27-year-old Luis Martinez-Duran of Joliet. On Sept. 15, they obtained an arrest warrant charging him with residential burglary and two counts of felony theft.

The chase

On Sept. 17, officers spotted Martinez-Duran driving near Madison Street and Oneida Street and tried to pull him over around 12:57 p.m., police said.

Martinez-Duran allegedly refused to stop and drove into a parking lot in the 2200 block of Oneida Street. Police said he then drove across a grassy area and into another parking lot before getting out and running.

As he fled through several business parking lots along West Jefferson Street, officers saw him carrying a gun, according to police.

Martinez-Duran was eventually arrested after climbing onto a garbage compactor near Walgreens at 2101 West Jefferson Street. Officers recovered a loaded 9mm handgun near the arrest location, police said.

A search also turned up suspected methamphetamine, according to police.

Charges

Martinez-Duran was charged under the burglary arrest warrant with residential burglary and two counts of felony theft.

He also faces charges of:

• Armed violence
• Aggravated unlawful possession of a firearm
• Possession of methamphetamine
• Fleeing and eluding a peace officer
• Obstructing a peace officer
• Violation of pretrial release

What's next:

Martinez-Duran was processed at the Joliet Police Department and transferred to the Will County Adult Detention Facility.