Campton Hills car burglary led to police chase, capture of 4 teens

Hain: ‘This incident is a shining example of teamwork’

CAMPTON TOWNSHIP – A report of a Campton Hills car burglary led to a Sheriff’s deputies’ chase of a stolen car, the successful use of a spike strip and the arrest of four juveniles from the Rockford area, according to a news release from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office.

At about 2 a.m. Monday, Campton Hills police responded to a report of a car burglary in the 40W400 block of Carl Sandburg Road, in which the victim provided police with a description of the vehicle involved – a Ford Explorer.

A deputy attempted to stop the vehicle in the area of Route 64 and Campton Hills Road, but the driver refused to stop and deputies began pursuit, the release stated.

As the pursuit continued, deputies also learned the vehicle was reported stolen out of Rockton, a village just north of Rockford.

A deputy deployed a spike strip – a device used to disable tires – in the area of Route 47 and Conners Road, which brought the pursuit to a halt.

Deputies took four juveniles from the Rockford area into custody and charged one 15-year-old as a juvenile with possession of a stolen vehicle and two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding, the release stated.

The three other juveniles were released to their parents or guardians and the stolen property from the vehicle burglary was also recovered.

Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain stated in the release that the number of pursuits deputies were involved in more than doubled from 2019 to 2020.

Due to the increase, the stop stick device – or spike strip – has been provided to most of the patrol deputies, along with enhanced user training, to curb the surge in chases.

“This incident is a shining example of teamwork by properly equipped and trained law enforcement officers bringing a serious crime to a successful and safe closure,” Hain stated in the release.

Campton Hills Police Chief Steven Millar stated his thanks to the sheriff’s deputies for their assistance.

“I am grateful for the close working relationship the Campton Hills Police Department has with the Sheriff’s Office,” Millar stated in the release. “These burglaries should serve as a reminder to lock your vehicles and close your garage doors.”