Lockport Man Charged After Returning Stolen Car: Cops

LOCKPORT, IL — A Lockport man has been charged with several offenses after he was found trying to return a stolen car, the Will County Sheriff's Office said. Patrick Taylor, 37, of the 200 block of Riverview Avenue, was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle (and vehicle parts), theft, burglary, criminal trespass to a vehicle, resisting a peace officer and driving with a suspended.

On June 17, deputies were called to the 3600 block of South State Street in Lockport Township about a stolen car. Police said they spoke to a man who had reported his Jeep Cherokee stolen on June 15.

The man told police he had posted on his social media page trying to locate the stolen car. Police said the man then received a phone call from an unknown person saying that he had the vehicle and was going to return it. The man then contacted deputies because the suspect was on his way to the address with the stolen vehicle.

Police said they found Taylor on scene with the stolen vehicle and he was asked to place his hands behind his back. Taylor refused several commands, and deputies struggled with Taylor until they were able to secure him. Taylor kept repeating that he brought the car back so he did not understand why he was placed under arrest.

According to police, the owner of the Jeep Cherokee said he did not give anyone permission to be on his property or take his vehicle. He told police that he also had security video with the incident on it.

Police said they viewed the security video and saw who they believed to be Taylor on the property and near the Jeep and a Mazda. The person in the video is seen under the hood of both cars, taking the battery out of the Mazda and placing it into the Jeep in order to start the Jeep which did not have a battery in it. The person is then seen driving the Jeep off the property. He is later seen on video returning to the property on foot to wipe off items that he had touched previously.

Taylor was taken into custody and was booked into Will County Adult Detention Facility. Bail has been set at $15,000. As of June 19, he had not been released.

Taylor also had 31 previous convictions for driving with a suspended license. His next court date is July 9.