Boys, 13 and 14, Arrested After Stealing Car, Crashing Into House: PD

PARK FOREST, IL — Two boys, ages 13 and 14, face a slew of charges after stealing a car from in front of a business, crashing it into a house, and leading police on a foot chase, Park Forest Police said Tuesday.

Police later found that one of the boys was possibly connected to stealing a car at gunpoint July 11. The other teen is allegedly tied to the battery of a delivery driver and theft of her truck in early July, police said.

On July 18, police were alerted that a car was stolen around 1 a.m. while left running in front of a business in the 400 block of Sauk Trail. Shortly after 9 a.m., that vehicle was reported as driving recklessly and then struck a house on Wildwood Street, with two males seen running from the stolen car, according to police.

The unnamed juveniles led police on a search and foot chase, and with witnesses' descriptions, police were able to confirm the pair's connection to the incident, police said in a social media post Tuesday.

The two, both Park Forest residents, each had prior cases filed in the Juvenile Court of Cook County related to stolen vehicles and were arrested, police said.

The 13-year-old was charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking and trespass to a vehicle related to his stealing a car at gunpoint on July 11, police said. He was also charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, trespass to a vehicle, and resisting a peace officer for the July 18 theft.

The 14-year-old was charged with vehicular hijacking, possession of a stolen vehicle, battery, and criminal trespass to a vehicle in connection with a July 1 crime in which a delivery driver was struck, and her vehicle was stolen. He was also charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, trespass to vehicle for a July 14 crime where a running car was stolen from in front of a business. Police also charged him with possession of a stolen vehicle, trespass to a vehicle, and resisting a peace officer for the July 18 crime, police said.

"Park Forest Detectives are investigating these juveniles for involvement in other recent crimes, including additional stolen vehicles and vehicle break-ins," the social media post reads. "Both juveniles have also previously been adjudicated 'liable' through Park Forest's Municipal Court for minor offenses and were assigned PFPD's Youth Violence Prevention Engagement Program, which they failed to attend and/or complete."

Both juveniles were taken to the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center and appeared before a juvenile court judge on July 19.