Armed gang hijacks elderly man’s vehicle outside Mokena Meijer

1 juvenile accused of hijacking, police said

Emergency lights

Mokena — A heavily armed gang stole an SUV from a 73-year-old man who was loading groceries into that vehicle in the parking lot of Meijer in Mokena, police said.

After a later chase, one juvenile was caught in the vehicular hijacking that occurred on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Mokena Police Department.

Police said the other suspects remain at large and described them as Black males with slim builds who were wearing dark clothing.

About 10:50 p.m. on Tuesday, police arrived at Meijer, 11305 W. Lincoln Highway, responding to an aggravated vehicular hijacking, according to Mokena police.

A 73-year-old man told police he was loading groceries into the rear of his black Lincoln MKC SUV when a newer model black Audi sedan pulled up to his vehicle, police said.

Multiple carjackers armed with long rifles and handguns left the Audi and demanded the man’s SUV, police said the man told them.

The suspects then entered both vehicles and fled the scene, traveling north on Wolf Road, police said.

At close to midnight, Illinois State Police troopers saw the man’s SUV on the street and pursued it, police said.

The suspects abandoned the stolen SUV at a gas station in Sauk Village and then ran, police said. A juvenile who was in the vehicle was caught with the help of a police dog.

The juvenile was arrested on probable cause of obstructing justice and criminal trespass to a vehicle, police said.

Police encourage anyone with information about the incident to contact the police at 708-429-3912.