A 16-year-old boy is facing a stack of felony charges after Chicago police say they tied him to two armed incidents on the Far South Side, months apart. He is accused of aggravated vehicular hijacking while armed, armed robbery with a firearm, and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon.
Investigators allege that on Jan. 25, a 60-year-old man was forced at gunpoint to give up his vehicle. In an earlier incident on Nov. 21, a 38-year-old man was reportedly robbed at gunpoint, also on the Far South Side.
According to FOX 32 Chicago, officers arrested the teen Monday in the 700 block of East 111th Street after identifying him as one of the people involved in the Jan. 25 carjacking in the 900 block of East 84th Place and the Nov. 21 robbery in the 600 block of East 102nd Street. The outlet reported that the Chicago Police Department released the basic details and that no additional information was immediately available.
Charges and potential penalties
Authorities have charged the teen with aggravated vehicular hijacking with a firearm, armed robbery with a firearm, and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon. Aggravated vehicular hijacking involving a firearm is set out in 720 ILCS 5/18-4, while aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon appears in 720 ILCS 5/24-1.6. Both statutes carry stiff penalties for defendants who are prosecuted as adults.
Where this arrest fits
The case lands at a time when Chicago and Illinois officials are still working to tamp down a multi-year wave of carjackings and vehicle thefts that has triggered new funding for specialized task forces and investigations. The Chicago Sun-Times has chronicled the spike in carjackings and the recent state grant money aimed at auto theft enforcement, while ABC7 has followed related enforcement efforts and vehicle recoveries in South Side neighborhoods.
Investigation continues
FOX 32 Chicago reported that police have not released the teen’s name. Detectives are continuing to investigate as prosecutors decide how to move forward with the case. Authorities have asked anyone with information about either incident to contact Chicago police as the prosecution process unfolds.
