Skokie Carjacking: 17-Year-Old Charged, 2 Suspects At Large

SKOKIE, IL — A 17-year-old has been charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking and burglary and police continue to look for two suspected carjackers following a chase Sunday night from the north suburbs to Chicago's South Side. The University Park teen fled from a car stolen at gunpoint from a Skokie woman after crashing on Dempster Street, police said. His accomplices fled into a large apartment building in the South Side Kenwood neighborhood, according to a news release.

Shortly before 7 p.m., a woman reported that she had been carjacked at gunpoint while parking her white Mercedes in the 8000 block of Keating Avenue, according to police. They demanded her car and belongings, which she handed over before calling 911. Police reported she was unharmed.

Skokie police soon spotted the white Mercedes at the intersection of Lockwood Avenue and Conrad Street. But, when they tried to pull it over, it fled — along with another vehicle that police believe was trailing the stolen Mercedes.

Skokie cops gave chase to both vehicles. Police said the recently stolen Mercedes crashed nearby at the intersection of Lockwood Avenue and Dempster Street, just east of the Edens Expressway.

Its driver fled on foot from the crash, making it about one block before cops captured him, police said. He is a juvenile and being held at the Skokie Police Department pending charges.

Later, Wilmette police located the suspect Nissan on the Edens Expressway and began a pursuit that was soon joined by Skokie and Illinois State police as they headed south on I-94, according to the release from Skokie police.

A Chicago Police Department helicopter assisted officers on the ground as the vehicle led police on a chase for close to 20 miles across the city, eventually leading to an apartment building at 45th and Drexel in Chicago. The helicopter told police two people ran from the Nissan and into the large complex.

Officers from Chicago, Skokie and Wilmette surrounded the complex and recovered the Nissan, which turned out to be a rental, police said. Cops were unable to find the people who ran from the vehicle, according to police.

Skokie police asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the department at (847) 982-5900, call its 24-hour Skokie Crime Tip Hotline is 847/933-TIPS (8477) or Text-A-Tip 24-hours a day by texting “Skokie” and your tip to 847411.