SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police (ISP) is targeting vehicle theft, hijacking, and related violence crimes using a $10 million Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council grant from the Illinois Secretary of State.
“The Illinois State Police is focusing on solving and stopping vehicular theft and hijacking crimes using an increased patrol presence, air operations support, automated license plate readers, investigations, and forensic services,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly.
From April through June 2023, ISP missions resulted in the following:
Vehicles recovered – stolen and/or hijacked | 204 |
Stolen vehicle arrests | 32 |
Hijacked vehicle arrests | 3 |
Firearms seized as a result of stolen/hijacked vehicle recovery | 12 |
Missions targeting stolen/hijacked vehicle recovery and related violent crime | 51 |
K9 used for stolen/hijacked vehicle recovery and related violence crime | 16 |
Air Operations targeting stolen/hijacked vehicle recovery and related violent crime | 51 |
Forensic laboratory assignments related to stolen/hijacked vehicle | 1,241 |
Highlights of ISP vehicle recovery efforts:
- June 27, 2023, at approximately 3:58 a.m., ISP attempted to stop a vehicle in the area of I-290 westbound at California that had been taken in an aggravated vehicular hijacking. The suspect vehicle crashed and two juvenile suspects were taken into custody. A loaded firearm was also recovered.
- June 26, 2023, at approximately 10:45 a.m., ISP located a Honda that had been carjacked at gunpoint at I-94 northbound at 35th Street in Chicago. Troopers stopped the vehicle and arrested the driver, who was suspected in a least four prior armed robberies.
- June 20, 2023, at approximately 10:10 p.m., ISP pursued a stolen Hyundai northbound on I-94 near 35th Street in Chicago. The Hyundai was also associated with an Armed Robbery and another Attempted Vehicular Hijacking. Using automatic license plate readers and air support, officers tracked the vehicle and were able to take three juveniles and one adult into custody.
- June 7, 2023, at approximately 8:44 p.m., ISP Air Operations located a Hyundai that had been taken in an aggravated vehicular hijacking on May 23, 2023. The Hyundai was abandoned in the 7500 block of South Wabash Avenue in Chicago and ISP Troopers apprehended two suspects.