Land Rover Thief Hides In Joliet Garbage Can: Police

JOLIET, IL — Joliet police say a 29-year-old woman from Wales, Maine stole a Land Rover SUV and was arrested late Monday night after hiding inside a garbage can in the 1400 block of Mayfield Avenue.

By 3 a.m. Tuesday, Katelynn Dubois was booked into the Will County Jail on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, theft of motor vehicle parts and accessories, aggravated fleeing and eluding police, possession of controlled substances and obstructing a peace officer.

Joliet police were sent to St. Joe's hospital campus around 10:35 p.m. after learning a stolen Land Rover SUV out of Maine was being tracked by the vehicle’s owner via GPS.

On July 28, the Lewiston Maine Police Department posted the following on its Facebook page:

Here in Joliet, late Monday night, Joliet police spotted the suspected auto thief on the south end of the hospital property and attempted to stop her, but the Maine resident sped away as officers walked toward the SUV, according to police reports.

Several minutes later, police noticed the SUV abandoned in the 1400 block of Mayfield Avenue. At that point, the SUV had an Illinois registration plate that did not match the vehicle.

"The Maine registration plate that had previously been attached to the vehicle along with a screwdriver was located in the front passenger seat," Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English announced.

He said the overnight patrol officers set up a perimeter and a Joliet police dog was used to search the area. Officers found the SUV's key in the backyard of a nearby house in the 1400 block of Mayfield.

"As the search continued, officers located Dubois hiding in a garbage can in the rear of a residence in the 1400 block of Mayfield Avenue," English stated. "She was placed into custody without incident."

When officers searched the stolen SUV, cocaine was found inside it, English said.

"Dubois indicated to officers that she had received the vehicle from a friend in Maine," Joliet police announced. "Dubois is suspected of stealing the Illinois license plate from a parked vehicle at Ascension St Joseph Medical Center."