Veterans Memorial Vandal Stole Truck Off Dealer Lot, Led Cops on Slow-Speed Chase: Police

FRANKFORT, IL — The vandal who destroyed the New Lenox Veterans Memorial stole a $53,000 truck off the Phillips Chevrolet lot, then led an officer on a slow-speed chase — during which he obeyed all the traffic laws — before blowing through a red light and making a run for it, police said.

Brian Sundstrom, 28, had asked to test drive the truck Saturday evening but was turned down after he told a salesman he forgot to bring along his driver’s license, police said.

Sundstrom became belligerent and caused a scene, police said, and then demanded to speak to a manager.

The manager reportedly agreed to accompany Sundstrom on a test drive and left the keys in the truck while he went to get a dealer plate. While he was gone, Sundstrom got in the truck and took it for a spin on his own, police said.

The path to the driveway was blocked by other vehicles, police said, so Sundstrom drove over landscaping and the curb to get onto Lincoln Highway.

Phillips employees called the cops, and an officer reportedly spotted the truck on Laraway Road. The officer activated his lights and siren and got behind the truck, police said, but it just kept going. But even though Sundstrom allegedly refused to pull over, he adhered to the speed limit and stopped for stop signs.

At a red light, the officer got out of his car and walked up to the truck, police said, but Sundstrom drove through the light and took off.

Two days later, the truck was spotted parked in front of a residence on Wood Street in New Lenox. When Frankfort officers arrived, Sundstrom was behind the wheel, police said.

Sundstrom was then arrested and taken to the Will County jail.

In October 2014, Sundstrom was charged with vandalizing the veterans memorial. He pleaded guilty the following October and was sentenced to a year in prison, but was released 11 days later due to the time he had already served in jail, according to court records.