Man Charged In Connection With Crystal Lake Car Dealership Thefts

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL — A 23-year-old Chicago man has been arrested and charged in connection with the theft of 13 vehicles from a Crystal Lake car dealership last year, police said on Tuesday.

Joshua Smith has been charged with 17 criminal counts, including 13 counts of theft and unauthorized control of property up to $100,000 along with two counts of theft and authorized control of property exceeding $500,000 and not exceeding $1 million as well as two other criminal charges, Crystal Lake police said.

The thefts took place on July 11 and Aug. 23 when vehicles were stolen from a car dealership located in the 600 block of West Terra Cotta Avenue, police said. In the first incident, police said that suspects were able to use reprogrammed ignition keys to steal several vehicles that were on the lot.

In the August incident, police said that the suspects broke into the dealership and took more ignition keys that allowed them to steal additional vehicles. An investigation linked Smith two both incidents, police said, and a warrant was issued for his arrest, police said.

The warrant was served to Smith at the DuPage County Jail, where police said he was already in custody.