DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Elmhurst Chief of Police Michael Ruth announced today that Judge Brian Jacobs has ordered that a seventeen-year-old Lynwood juvenile accused of stealing a vehicle at gunpoint will be detained until at least his next court appearance. The juvenile has been charged with one count of Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking (Class X Felony) and two counts of Armed Robbery (Class X Felony).
On June 8, 2021, the juvenile and another individual responded to an ad on OfferUP in regard to purchasing a vehicle they saw on the site. The victim allegedly met the juvenile and his accomplice at Crestview Park located at 245 E Crestview Avenue, Elmhurst. It is alleged that after briefly looking at the vehicle, the juvenile and his accomplice requested a test drive. It is alleged that during the test drive, the juvenile sat in the right, rear passenger seat directly behind the victim and the juvenile’s accomplice drove. It is further alleged that after traveling a short distance, the juvenile pulled out a handgun, placed it to the victim’s left temple and said “do not do anything stupid or I’ll shoot”. It is alleged that the offenders patted down the victim and took his wallet, phone and keys before ordering him out of the car. Once out of the vehicle, the victim flagged down a passing car and used the driver’s phone to call 9-1-1. An investigation conducted by the Elmhurst Police Department led to the juvenile and recovery of the vehicle which was found approximately forty yards from the juvenile’s Lynwood residence. An investigation into the matter continues and anyone with information is asked to call the Elmhurst Police Department at (630) 530-3050.
“The allegations that this juvenile put a gun to the head of a man and threatened him with his life before stealing his car are completely outrageous and will not be tolerated in DuPage County, regardless of the accused’s age,” Berlin said. “I remind the public that if you are selling something over the Internet, take precautions to protect yourself such as always meet during daylight hours in a populated public place that you are familiar with; never meet a prospective buyer alone and if something doesn’t feel right, walk away. I commend the Elmhurst Police Department for their outstanding efforts in identifying the juvenile as a suspect in this case for their continued efforts in keeping our neighborhoods safe. I would also like to thank Assistant State’s Attorney Nick Catizone for his efforts in preparing a strong case against this juvenile.”
“I applaud the efforts of our evidence technicians and personnel who did an outstanding job which ultimately led to the identification and apprehension of the suspect in this case,” Ruth said. “I would also like to thank the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office for their legal guidance.”
The juvenile’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 30, 2021, in front of Judge Jacobs.
Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
