100-mile police chase of stolen BMWs punctuated by crashes and carjackings: cops

Car thieves led police on a wild pursuit for more than 100 miles all the way to Morris and beyond, the Grundy County Sheriff said, with some of the stolen cars crashing along the way, the Grundy County Sheriff said.

After stealing several vehicles in Springfield, the crooks attempted to break into a Peoria car dealership but were unsuccessful, according to Public Information Officer Simone Roth of the Peoria police department.

The gang of thieves then apparently headed north toward Morris.

That’s where the chase ended for two of the vehicles when they were disabled by spike strips set up on Interstate 80 by Grundy County deputies and then crashed, said Sheriff Ken Briley.

A third vehicle stopped east of Route 47, apparently due to a flat tire, according to police.

Even through the three vehicles were stopped, everyone driving and riding in them managed to escape after they were picked up by a “chase vehicle,” police said.

That vehicle crashed near the junction of Interstates 355 and 80, according to police.

The thieves abandoned the wrecked car and attempted to steal several vehicles before eventually succeeding in carjacking a woman who was behind the wheel of a GMC Yukon near Francis and Regan roads and once again eluding capture, police said.

The woman was carjacked at her residence, according to the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

County police dogs were brought in to search for any evidence the fugitives may have left behind, the sheriff’s office said.

The carjacking prompted the lockdown of Liberty Junior High School, according to police.

The fugitives remain at large, police said.

This is a developing story please check back for updates.