A 17-year-old juvenile from Chicago accused of stealing more than $1,000 worth of merchandise from the Oak Brook Alo store and then leading police on a high-speed chase will remain in jail until at least his next court date, prosecutors said.
The teen appeared at a detention hearing Thursday where a judge granted the state’s motion to detail him pre-trial, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release
He is charged with one count each of burglary, retail theft and aggravated fleeing and eluding, according to the release.
About 6:40 p.m. June 17, the juvenile entered the Alo store, 68 Oakbrook Court, selected several items of clothing, with an approximate value of $1,000, and entered a fitting room, authorities said.
He allegedly left the fitting room wearing the selected items of clothing underneath his own clothes and left the store without paying for the merchandise, according to the release.
The offender allegedly met up with several individuals who entered a red Jeep Wrangler and fled with the juvenile driving, according to the release.
Oak Brook police began following the Jeep at which time the offender allegedly accelerated at a high rate of speed. He continued to northbound Spring Road where he was traveling in excess of 70 mph in a 25-mph zone.
As the juvenile attempted to enter Frontage Road from Spring Road, he crossed into oncoming traffic, causing another vehicle to veer off the road, before he left the road and rolled the Jeep over. After rolling the Jeep, the juvenile attempted to flee on foot but was arrested a short time later, authorities said.
“The allegations that this juvenile stole more than one $1,000 worth of merchandise from the Alo store and then led police on an extremely dangerous high-speed chase on busy roads that ended only after he flipped his vehicle are outrageous,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “The juvenile’s alleged actions endangered not only his life and the lives of his passengers, but also the lives of the officers involved and countless innocent motorists and pedestrians.”
The juvenile’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 25.