Man steals police squad car, mail truck in suburban Chicago, authorities say
A suspect was in police custody in southwest suburban Bridgeview, Illinois Wednesday evening, after police said he stole both a police squad car from another Chicago suburb and a mail truck.
Bedford Park police said at 2:45 p.m., their officers were on the scene after being called to 6800 S. Archer Rd. While the officers were occupied, someone got into a Bedford Park police squad car and drove away, police said.
Soon afterward, the squad car was found on train tracks near 97th Place and Avon Avenue in Chicago Ridge — but the thief was not there, police said.
Bridgeview police said the thief left the Bedford Park squad car behind and came across a U.S. Postal Service truck occupied by a postal worker, police said.
The thief carjacked the postal truck from the mail carrier and drove it north on Roberts Road, police said.
The thief then hit a family of three in a car with the postal truck — a mother and her two young children, ages 4 and 7, Bridgeview police said.
The woman and her children were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where they were reportedly stabilized.
On Thursday, charges were filed against the suspect, who police identified as Miguel Alvarado, 36. Alvarado's last known addresses were in Ozone Park, Queens, New York City, and Beaumont, Texas.
He is charged with aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle and aggravated reckless driving.
