Over 300 Stolen Vehicles Recovered So Far This Year By IL State Police

Illinois State Police recovered over 300 stolen or hijacked vehicles in the first three months of this year, according to authorities.

The agency in a news release Tuesday reported that in addition to the 316 recovered vehicles, it had also made 32 stolen vehicle arrests and two hijacked vehicle arrests from January through March of 2026.

Among those arrests was a March 7 incident in which a stolen vehicle crashed on northbound Interstate 94 at 47th Street in Chicago, and three occupants ran from the vehicle and were taken into custody, police said, adding authorities also recovered a gun.

In another incident on Feb. 17, police found a stolen vehicle parked in the 7700 block of South Essex Avenue in Chicago, according to authorities. The driver tried to run, but police were able to take the driver and passenger into custody, authorities said.

State police noted that it uses grant funds from the Illinois Secretary of State Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council to target vehicle-related crimes. The agency was awarded a $10 million grant for the first fiscal year, another $677,000 in June 2024 and $637,500 in July 2025, authorities said.