Gun Pointed At House As SUV Stolen From Homer Glen Driveway: Sheriff

HOMER GLEN, IL — A juvenile was arrested after an armed vehicle theft in Homer Glen on Tuesday, the Will County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

Deputies were called to South Churchill Drive in Homer Township at 7:20 a.m. Tuesday for an in-progress vehicle theft, the sheriff's office said. When they arrived, deputies learned that a Dodge Durango had been stolen from the victim's driveway.

According to police, the victim reported that she had attempted to remote start her vehicle but, after not hearing the engine, looked outside and saw an individual standing near the front door of her home, pointing a gun.

Police conducted a canvass of the area, and also reviewed home security footage, which showed that multiple suspects were involved in the incident, the sheriff's office said.

One suspect, armed with a handgun, was seen monitoring the front door. A second suspect stood guard near the front of the home, and a third suspect broke the rear window of the Durango, entered the vehicle, and drove away moments later, according to police. A black Dodge Challenger, believed to be the suspects’ vehicle, was seen leaving the scene immediately after the Durango.

A black Dodge Challenger, believed to be the same vehicle, was seen numerous times in the early morning hours on Tuesday throughout Homer Township and Lockport Township before the theft of the Durango, the sheriff's office said.

Using a combination of Flock license plate recognition technology and Lojack tracking installed in the stolen Durango, police said that investigators traced the suspects' movements and notified numerous police agencies. Later that morning, the stolen Durango was found in Chicago along with two other stolen vehicles and three guns, including two that were equipped with conversion kits making them fully automatic, according to the sheriff's office.

One juvenile was arrested, with the other offenders are still being sought. This investigation is ongoing, and charges are pending, police said.

Sheriff Mike Kelley would like to thank The Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Task Force, The Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force and the Illinois State Police for their assistance in this case.