Two teenagers were arrested last Thursday after Chicago police said they forced a 52-year-old man out of his car in North Lawndale, then took off with his vehicle. The victim was not reported to have serious injuries, and officers later recovered what authorities at the arrest scene described as a replica or pellet gun.
Arrests and charges
According to the Chicago Police Department, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old were taken into custody around 10:20 a.m. last Thursday in the 300 block of West Garfield Boulevard in the Fuller Park neighborhood, roughly five hours after the carjacking in the 1300 block of South Lawndale Avenue in North Lawndale. Both teens face one felony count of aggravated vehicular hijacking involving a firearm. The 17-year-old also faces additional counts for obstructing identification, possessing ammunition without a valid FOID card, and a citation tied to a replica firearm or pellet gun, FOX 32 Chicago reported, citing police. Members of the Citywide Robbery Task Force made the arrests and recovered evidence at the scene, according to authorities.
What the charge means
Aggravated vehicular hijacking is filed when someone takes a vehicle by force or threat while armed or under other specified aggravating circumstances. Illinois law treats those offenses as serious felonies, with enhanced penalties when a firearm is involved. The state also regulates ammunition and requires a Firearm Owner's Identification card for lawful possession, which allows separate counts for possessing ammunition without a FOID card, per Illinois statutes.
Police follow-up and next steps
Police said the Citywide Robbery Task Force investigation remains active. No additional details were immediately released, and the information made public so far came from the department's account of the incident, according to FOX 32 Chicago. Prosecutors are expected to review the case before any formal petitions are filed in juvenile court, and police said they plan to update the public as the investigation moves forward.
