Burglary suspect escapes two manhunts

Arlington Heights police are still looking for a man who escaped two manhunts late Thursday night and Friday morning while leading them on what seems to be a wild-goose chase.

Officer Doug Hajek of the Arlington Heights Police Department said police were called to the 800 block of East Shady Way at about 11:30 p.m. with claims that a man was burglarizing cars in the area.

Hajek said a witness who made the call heard a car alarm ring in the parking lot in the area, and spotted an offender getting out of a 1999 black Honda Accord.

The offender is described as a Hispanic male in his early 20s, approximately 5-feet, 7-inches tall and 155 pounds. He had black hair and brown eyes, did not have facial hair, but was wearing a baseball cap, gray hoodie with a black jacket over the hoodie.

The offender used a concrete block to break out the passenger side front door window of the Accord before fleeing the parking lot in a southbound direction, Hajek said.

Hajek said, after searching the area, the incident was sent to neighboring towns to be on the lookout for the offender.

Hajek said Mount Prospect police contacted Arlington Heights around noon Friday saying someone matching the description was spotted.

While an Arlington Heights police officer was sent to Mount Prospect to talk with the suspect, Hajek said an Arlington Heights officer observed another male matching the description running behind a building on Clearbrook Drive.

He said Arlington Heights police determined the person observed by Mount Prospect was not the offender and let the man go. That happened while officers from Arlington Heights and Mount Prospect set up a perimeter and called for a K-9 unit around the area where the second suspect was found.

While the perimeter was established, though, the original victim called police again and stated the offender was back in the area of the original burglary attempt.

Another police officer was dispatched to the original car burglary location, where a person who resembled the suspect was found and taken into custody for questioning, Hajek said.

But, Hajek said, while the possible offender was being transported, another call came in claiming the subject who was spotted running behind buildings on Clearbrook Drive was spotted again.

Police established a second perimeter, Hajek said, and another K-9 search was started. However, that offender also wasn't found.

In addition, Hajek said, the person in custody was questioned and released without charges.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Arlington Heights Police Department at (847) 368-5343.