Burr Ridge Arrests Man Driving Stolen Car: Cops

BURR RIDGE, IL – A Chicago man who was accused of driving a stolen car told Burr Ridge officers last week he was driving it to the owner's house in another suburb, police said.

Patch obtained the police report for the arrest of Opter Johnson Jr., 53, who was charged with felony possession of a stolen vehicle.

Shortly after noon Tuesday, one of Burr Ridge's cameras alerted officers that a stolen car entered the village.

The driver, Johnson, was stopped in the 8300 block of South Madison Street. He complied with officers' commands and had no contraband in his car, police said.

Johnson was told the 2015 Hyundai Elantra he was driving was stolen a day earlier in Chicago. He said he knew that and that he was on his way to return the car to its registered owner in Lemont, police said.

He said he had two numbers in the car for a man named "Tony," who he said stole it. He said he convinced Tony to let him return the vehicle, police said.

The police reached Tony at one number, but he denied involvement. At the other number, a person who goes by the nickname"Short Cup Cake" accused Tony and another person of stealing the car, the report said.

By Johnson's account, the car belonged to Tony's ex-girlfriend. Johnson said it was "messed up" that Tony stole her car, so he planned to bring it back, police said.

Asked why he did not call 911, Johnson said he did not have a phone, was drunk at the time and was homeless, police said.

Johnson told officers he got lost on the way to Lemont. He said he had planned to stay outside the owner's house until someone answered the door and then get a ride back to Chicago, police said.

The owner said she had never heard of Johnson or Tony.

Johnson was taken to the DuPage County Jail.