Teenage Thieves Flee Car Owner But Get Caught When Ride Breaks Down: Cops

JOLIET, IL — Three thieving teens were chased off by the owner of a vehicle two of them were burglarizing but got caught when their getaway car broke down, police said.

The 22-year-old owner of a 2008 Nissan Altima parked on Roosevelt Avenue near Catherine Street looked outside shortly after 3 a.m. Tuesday and saw two people in his car.

The man went outside to confront the crooks, police said, and they jumped into a waiting Buick Rendezvous and took off.

The man got in his Altima and gave Chase, police said, but the Buick pulled over and the driver, 18-year-old Marco Luciano emerged with a baseball bat. Luciano allegedly threatened the man with the bat and told him to stop following them, so he went home and called the cops.

Officers searched the city for the Rendezvous and found it in the parking lot of Taft Elementary School shortly before 5 a.m., police said. Two of the prowlers — Santiago Diaz, 19, and Manuel Escamilla, 18 — were reportedly standing outside the car, which Diaz said had broken down.

Diaz and Escamilla were arrested. Luciano was taken into custody when he returned to the Rendezvous in a different vehicle with his girlfriend, police said.

Diaz, Escamilla and Luciano were all taken to the Will County jail.

Santiago Diaz, Manuel Escamilla and Marco Luciano | images via Will County Sheriff's Department