Two Teens Charged in Car Vandalism Spree

Police have charged two teens—a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old—in a July 5 vandalism spree during which 16 cars had their tires slashed or were burglarized around 107th Street and Kilbourn Avenue.

Oak Lawn police made the arrests on July 11 after interviewing both teens, who, according to police reports, cooperated with detectives and answered questions after being read their rights.

Police first went to the home of the 17-year-old on the 10900 block of South Kenneth Avenue. After learning that he was a juvenile, his parents were notified of his arrest. (Patch does not publish the names of juvenile offenders.)

Detectives assigned to the case said the 17-year-old told them that he and his friend had been drinking at the friend’s house. Both left the house between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on July 5 and walked up Kilbourn Avenue from 108th Place.

The 17-year-old admitted to damaging and breaking into cars on Kilbourn and Kenneth Avenues, reports said.

Detectives also noticed that the 17-year-old had several cuts to his right hand. Some of the victims found blood inside their cars or around the door handles, reports said.

Police said the 17-year-old told detectives he got the cuts while vandalizing the cars and that he remembered bleeding in several of them. The teen’s injuries to his hand and foot were photographed by detectives. Both of his parents were present during part of the interview.

Detectives next went to the home of the 17-year-old’s friend. The 18-year-old was at work when detectives showed up, but his father told them where they could find his son.

According to police reports, detectives found the 18-year-old at his workplace, and he admitted to police that he had been with the 17-year-old and had closed some of the car doors that were left open.

The 18-year-old was taken into custody and brought to the Oak Lawn police station, where he agreed to answer questions. He corroborated the 17-year-old’s story, telling detectives that they had both been drinking at his house.

After leaving the house, the youths began checking car doors to see if they were locked, according to the report. The 18-year-old said that he and the 17-year-old began puncturing the car tires on Kilbourn and Kenneth between 107th and 108th streets, police said.

Detectives said the 18-year-old used a small folding knife that he had attached to his keychain. He still had the knife and the keychain with him.

The 18-year-old also remembered throwing a bowling ball through a windshield that his 17-year-old friend found inside a car trunk parked on Kenneth, police said.

Later in the afternoon, detectives conducted another search of the 17-year-old’s bedroom, where they found a similar folding knife in a dresser drawer that was taken as evidence. Detectives also began contacting the victims.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office approved one count of felony burglary against the 17-year-old, who also was charged with 11 misdemeanor counts of criminal damage to property. He appeared in bond court on Monday.

The 18-year-old was charged with 11 misdemeanor counts of criminal damage to property. He has an Aug. 4 court date.