Lure of Pony car leads to carjacking charges
Two would-be sports car owners from Hanover Park face high bond amounts after being charged with robbing and terrorizing a man tricked into going on a test drive.
Police charged Jose L. Reyes, 6624 Pine Tree St., and Juan A. Garcia, 6670 Apple Tree St., both 20, with aggravated vehicular highjacking and armed robbery.
Cook County Judge Daniel Sullivan set bond at $100,000 for each during a hearing Saturday at the Rolling Meadows courthouse.
Authorities say the pair conned a Streamwood man the evening of March 21 into thinking they wanted to buy his 1989 Ford Mustang. While they were taking the car for a spin, Reyes pulled over near East and Laurel avenues in Hanover Park, police said, and Garcia allegedly grabbed the owner in a headlock and held a knife to his throat.
The men nabbed the victim's cell phone and wallet and forced him to sign over the vehicle's title to them, authorities said.
The car was later involved in a hit and run in Itasca.
The car was found unoccupied Wednesday in unincorporated Des Plaines. Hanover Park police conducted surveillance on the car and the next day, they saw two men approach the car. Officers stopped both men, one of whom was identified as Reyes. Police later arrested Garcia.
Records from the stolen cell phone assisted in the investigation, authorities said.
Both are due back in court April 14.