SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Springfield Police Department said that two juveniles had to be released after a series of car thefts due to a lack of space at statewide juvenile detention facilities.
The department received multiple reports of car burglary and car theft on the night of Dec. 6 into Dec. 7. On the morning of Dec. 8, officers saw two of the stolen cars chasing each other around South Grand Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive.
Three boys, the department did not provide ages, were arrested following a traffic stop of the stolen cars.
All three were eligible for incarceration according to the department, but there was only space to house one. Two were placed on electronic monitoring and released to guardians, and one was sent to the juvenile detention center in Peoria.
One of the boys was already wearing a monitoring device and is now facing additional charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a firearm and firearm ammunition, possession of a firearm-no FOID, and violation of bail bond-failure to surrender.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Springfield Police Department at 217-788-8311 and/or Sangamon/Menard County Crime Stoppers at 217-788-8427.
Copyright 2024. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
