Dupage Policy Journal

Bob Berlin, DuPage County State's Attorney, thanks those who assisted in the arrest of two Chicago teenagers who allegedly carjacked a man in Carol Stream at gunpoint and then fled from police officers. The two juveniles are each facing multiple felony charges.

"The allegations against these two juveniles are outrageous," Berlin posted on his campaign page. "Not only did these two juveniles allegedly hijack a man's car at gunpoint, they proceeded to lead the police on a high-speed chase at speeds nearing 140 mph, then abandoned the car and fled on foot in a crowded park while armed with a deadly weapon. This type of violent behavior and complete and utter disregard for public safety will most certainly not be tolerated in DuPage County and will be met with the full force of the law. Thankfully, no one was injured or worse, killed, by the alleged actions of the accused. I thank the Carol Stream Police Department for their outstanding work on this case as well as the Lombard and Oak Brook Police Departments for their assistance. I also thank Assistant State's Attorneys Alyssa Rabulinski and Kristin Grossman for their efforts in securing charges against these two juveniles."

Around 7 pm on May 20, two Chicago teenagers allegedly approached a man standing outside his car in Carol Stream, according to Belin's campaign site. One of the teens allegedly pulled out a handgun and pushed it into the victim's side, while the other teen reached into his pocket to try to find his car keys. The victim told police officers that he gave his keys to the juveniles, at which time they got into his vehicle and drove away. Carol Stream police officers located the stolen vehicle on Army Trail Road and attempted to pull it over, but the teens fled from the officers. The juveniles drove the stolen vehicle southbound onto I-355, allegedly reaching speeds of up to 140 mph. The teens then abandoned the vehicle, and officers took them both into custody at Lombard Park shortly thereafter.

Each juvenile, a 16-year-old female and a 17-year-old male, faces the following criminal charges: one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking with a firearm (Class X Felony), one count of armed robbery with a firearm (Class X Felony), two counts of aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle (Class 1 Felony) and one count of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer (Class 4 Felony), according to the press release. "I commended the Carol Stream officers for their quick and professional response, along with the Investigators for their follow-up work to present the case to the State's Attorney," Carol Stream Chief of Police William Holmer said. "I also praise officers from Lombard and Oakbrook for their assistance in taking these juveniles into custody. It is also important to thank and recognize the victim and witnesses who assisted officers in this case. The careless behavior demonstrated by these juveniles can't be tolerated."

The day before the carjacking occurred, Berlin joined several other suburban state attorneys in expressing concern over the Safety, Accountability, Fairness, and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act, which Gov. Pritzker signed into law last year, Shaw Local reported. During a forum at the Eola Community Center in Aurora, Berlin noted his fears that the legislation will lead to more violent criminals on the streets, negatively impacting communities. "Take, for instance, the December shooting at Oakbrook Mall two days before Christmas," he said. "I hear from so many people in the community that are now afraid to go to that mall. That's the kind of impact that a shooting has on an entire community."