JOLIET, Ill. (WLS) — Three Chicagoans were detained Tuesday after an hours-long manhunt in the southern suburbs prompted a shelter-in-place order. One robbery suspect is still at large, and he may be armed.
Police say around 5 a.m. they received a request for assistance from a suburban Chicago law enforcement agency who was pursuing robbery suspects in two stolen Chrysler 300s, including one taken from Lockport.
When officers arrived, they learned that the suspects had run on foot near Black Street and Junie Court, after police used a stop rod on the vehicle.
Police launched a manhunt in the area bordering Black Road, Midland Avenue, Catherine Road and Glenwood Avenue. Police said they determined the suspect could be armed and issued reverse 911 calls telling residents in the area to take cover. The order was lifted around 10:28 a.m
“The information I have received is that these individuals have been responsible for numerous auto thefts and related robberies in the western and northern suburbs and are still being investigated at this time, but it seems that these individuals may have been working in tandem with one another. other but all that is still being looked at as we speak here,” Police Sergeant Joliet. said Dwayne English. “This is a fluid situation. It is a dangerous situation because we are still trying to determine whether these suspects were indeed armed.”
English said a third suspect was in custody, and they were looking for a fourth suspect, who may be armed. Police initially said they were looking for five suspects, but later revised that to four.
English said the three suspects were aged 21, 20 and 16 and were all from Chicago. They were unarmed when they were arrested. English said the shelter-in-place order was lifted because they received information that he was no longer in the area.
Joliet Police asked residents to search for discarded weapons or other evidence that may have been left behind.
Meanwhile, many neighbors are very worried as the hunt continues.
Leticia Manzo had just come home from dropping her kids off at school when she saw one of the suspects walking into her garage. The police were right there to make the arrest.
“I was really nervous so I said, ‘Mom?' in a loud voice because I was like he just left my sight and I saw other people walking into my property so I was like who was that and I was like wait a minute I hope it's not one of them it's like hiding you know oh my god ,” said Manzo. “I saw them arrest him and you know, peacefully. He just asked if I could call his mom for him.”
ABC7 Chicago's cameras captured two captures, one from the air and one from the ground.
“He was asking people for rides, and they just did. I called him and said, ‘what's wrong?' He said, ‘hey guys, I have $50. I'll give you $50 now if you can give me a ride to Chicago,'” said Joliet resident Robert Hernandez. “I went around the corner. I alerted Will County. I said there's a suspect on Reed Street.”
Joliet Catholic Academy said the school would be closed Tuesday due to police activity. Saint Raymond Cathedral School was also closed.
“We attended mass this morning in St. Raymond. The priest announced that there was an alert,” said resident David Kaller.