Teen charged with a dozen armed carjackings within hours on South, Southwest Sides
CHICAGO (CBS) – A 16-year-old boy is facing 16 felony charges in a string of a dozen carjackings within less than seven hours on the city's South and Southwest Sides back in August.
Police said the carjacker struck in the Ashburn, Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, Bridgeport, Auburn Gresham, and Longwood Manor neighborhoods in that short period of time.
Police said the teen was arrested by members of the Vehicular Hijacking Task Force Thursday, in the 200 block of East 69th Place in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood.
In Bridgeport alone, police said two young women were targeted by the teen now charged.
As CBS 2's Tara Molina reported, the suspect is underage, so we don't know his name or what he looks like
But we know how those charges break down. The teen is charged with 11 felony counts of aggravated vehicular hijacking with a firearm, four felony counts of robbery with a firearm, and one felony count of attempted aggravated vehicular hijacking with a firearm.
He was identified as one of the suspects who, on Aug. 20, robbed and carjacked 12 people while armed with a firearm in the following locations:
- 8000 block of South Campbell Avenue at 12:07 a.m. – 33-year-old woman
- 3400 block of West 72nd Street at 1:50 a.m. – 58-year-old man
- 2900 block of South Union Avenue at 2:44 a.m. – 21- and 22-year-old women
- 6500 block of South Kedzie Avenue at 3:25 a.m. – 50-year-old man
- 3700 block of West 82nd Street at 3:40 a.m. – 40-year-old man
- 5600 block of South Albany Avenue at 4:30 a.m. – 26-year-old man
- 5700 block of South Richmond Street at 4:50 a.m. – 45-year-old woman
- 8600 block of South Halsted Street at 5:30 a.m. – 43-year-old woman
- 9500 block of South Peoria Street at 6:08 a.m. – 31-year-old woman
- 8400 block of South Sangamon Street at 6:12 a.m. – 40-year-old woman
- 6600 block of South Artesian Avenue at 6:20 a.m. – 66-year-old woman
- 6700 block of South Washtenaw Avenue at 6:45 a.m. – 33-year-old woman
Earlier this week, we told you about five other arrests - all juveniles who are also facing felony charges in armed robberies and carjackings.
With more and more teenagers behind violent crime here in Chicago, we turned this week to those these young people could take their next steps with - the Cook County Juvenile Probation Department.
Molina up with the acting director and two probation officers on the work being done to keep teens from becoming repeat offenders.
"We get them engaged in structured supportive services sooner over later, and that's one of the ways that the court has responded to what we're seeing in this moment is to be really quick to get young people engaged," said Miquel A. Lewis, acting director of probation and court services for the Cook County Juvenile Probation Department.
So, what's next here? We reached out to the Cook County State's Attorney's office about juvenile offenders this week, following up Friday.
The State's Attorney's office issued this statement:
"The Cook County State's Attorney's Office is committed to the work of justice. Our Juvenile Justice Bureau follows the mandates of the Juvenile Court Act by working closely with the Cook County Juvenile Probation Department and other practitioners to focus on a minor's delinquent behavior and seek restorative services that address the root causes of delinquent behavior whenever possible.
This includes being an integral part of committees and working groups at Juvenile Court to help streamline procedures to ensure that minors engaged in the juvenile justice system receive the support and resources they need.
"The Cook County State's Attorney's Office is committed to the work of justice. Our Juvenile Justice Bureau follows the mandates of the Juvenile Court Act by working closely with the Cook County Juvenile Probation Department and other practitioners to focus on a minor's delinquent behavior and seek restorative services that address the root causes of delinquent behavior whenever possible.
This includes being an integral part of committees and working groups at Juvenile Court to help streamline procedures to ensure that minors engaged in the juvenile justice system receive the support and resources they need.
1. CCSAO prosecutors are working members of the Vehicular Hijacking Taskforce - collaboration with CPD and other police agencies to -
· help streamline communication for best outcomes at the detention hearings
· provide advice and support for long-term complex investigations resulting in higher case approval rates
2. CCSAO staff are providing support to the Juvenile probation department as they increase their pre-trial services division.
3. We continue to refer cases to the Juvenile Court Deferred Prosecution Program when appropriate to provide coordinated wrap around services to minors.
4. We helped facilitate a coordinated centralized detention court call which now includes a CCSAO internal process to assist with increased case management."