DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin has filed multiple felony charges against a Cook County teen who allegedly stole a car at gunpoint while taking it for a test drive in Elmhurst.
According to authorities, the teen and another individual responded to an ad on the website OfferUP in regard to purchasing a vehicle they saw on the site. The duo met the unidentified victim on June 8 at Crestview Park.
Police say the teen then asked to take the vehicle for a test drive. During that drive, the teen pulled out a gun, placed it to the victim’s left temple, and said “do not do anything stupid, or I’ll shoot.”
The duo then patted down the victim and stole his wallet, phone and keys before ordering him out of the car. The victim then flagged down a passing car, and used the driver’s phone to call 911.
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The Elmhurst Police Department say they located the stolen vehicle just yards away from his residence in Lynwood, and took the teen into custody.
The teen now faces charges of aggravated vehicular hijacking and two counts of armed robbery, according to DuPage County States Attorney Robert Berlin.
“The allegations that this juvenile put a gun to the head of a man and threatened him with his life before stealing his car are completely outrageous and will not be tolerated in DuPage County, regardless of the accused’s age,” Berlin said. “I remind the public that if you are selling something over the Internet, take precautions to protect yourself such as always meet during daylight hours in a populated public place that you are familiar with; never meet a prospective buyer alone and if something doesn’t feel right, walk away.”
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The teen’s next court appearance is set for June 30.
