Palatine man accused of stealing car from Barrington business

A Palatine man who called police to retrieve personal items left in a car they say he stole was ordered held on $75,000 bail Thursday.

Brontay Matlock, formerly of Springfield, is charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, which prosecutors say he took from the parking lot of a Barrington business.

On Aug. 25, Matlock, 23, approached the business owner expressing interest in purchasing the man's BMW, which was parked in the lot outside, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney David Shin, who did not identify the owner or his business.

The man gave Matlock the keys so he could look over the car, Shin said. At that time, Matlock exchanged the owner's keys with another set, Shin said.

Early on Aug. 26, Matlock returned to the business, replaced the license plates with plates from a Springfield car dealership and drove the car to Springfield, where he picked up some of his belongings, and then returned to Palatine, Shin said.

The owner reported his car stolen to Barrington police, who tracked it to a Palatine apartment complex through its vehicle recovery system and towed it to the police station. Police arrested Matlock after he called the station about retrieving his items from the car, Shin said.

At the time of his arrest, Matlock was on parole for a 2014 conviction for possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

He received an eight-year sentence, with a boot camp recommendation in 2011 for a residential burglary conviction in Sangamon County. He received a three-year prison sentence for retail theft in 2010 and 24 months' probation for burglary in 2009. Matlock also has several misdemeanor convictions including a 2013 conviction for criminal trespass to a vehicle for which he received 105 days in jail and a 2009 retail theft conviction for which he received 48 days in jail.

If convicted of this latest charge, Matlock faces up to 30 years in prison based on his criminal background. He next appears in court on Sept. 24.