Bridgeview Fire Department Vehicle Stolen, Suspect In Custody

Bridgeview — A Bridgeview Fire Department vehicle was recovered and a suspect is in custody after the vehicle was stolen Thursday morning. The vehicle, believed to be a battalion chief’s command SUV, was recovered by Chicago police on the city’s South Side.

According to a news release, the vehicle was left idling in front of the Bridgeview firehouse at 100th Place just west of Harlem Avenue. Seeing there was no one inside, a man climbed into the vehicle and took off toward Chicago, fire department spokesman Ray Hanania said.

The man was stopped and arrested by Chicago police on Lake Shore Drive and Jackson Blvd. after driving through 71st Street and Stony Island, Hanania said. A CPD helicopter joined in the chase. The suspect described as a white male in his 50s is in custody of the Chicago Police Department. No one was injured in the incident.

Emergency responder vehicles are often left running to allow first responders to respond as fast as possible to emergency calls. A security system is in place to prevent vehicles from moving.

“I’m not sure if the system was compromised by the suspect,” Hanania said.

Chicago police officers had to break a window to get the suspect out of the command vehicle. Charges are pending.