One in custody after police chase ‘caravan’ of stolen vehicles

A teenager is in custody following a police chase involving what authorities called a “caravan” of stolen vehicles early Friday morning.

Authorities said the 18-year-old in custody was the driver of a stolen Kia Stinger that crashed in Waukegan Friday morning after a four-mile pursuit.

The Kia was stolen from a home on the 1100 block of Bellows Way in Volo at about 7 a.m.

The owner of the Kia reported the theft just before 8 a.m. when he noticed the vehicle was missing and checked surveillance footage of the property.

According to officials at the Lake County sheriff’s office, a white Hyundai Tucson approached the victim’s home and two men exited, approaching the Kia parked in the driveway. One of the men got into the driver’s seat of the Kia and backed down the driveway.

Sheriff’s deputies were able to track the location of the stolen Kia while sheriff’s office dispatchers using traffic cameras were able to spot it.

The cameras revealed the Kia was in a caravan with two other vehicles, the Hyundai and a black Dodge Charger. It was determined the Hyundai was stolen from Lincolnshire and used in an attempted armed carjacking in Round Lake recently. The Dodge was stolen from Lindenhurst.

Deputies attempted to stop the three vehicles in Beach Park, but all three drivers fled, leading police on a four-mile chase to Waukegan. During the pursuit, the driver of the Kia struck a utility pole, which disabled the vehicle. The driver and a passenger tried to flee from the scene, but the driver was captured.

Witnesses told authorities the passenger jumped into the stolen Hyundai and fled again.

The teenage driver is awaiting charges, sheriff’s officials said.

Attempts to locate the remaining vehicles are ongoing.