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Four from Chicago charged with vehicular hijacking

April 11, 2016 – Two men and two male juveniles from Chicago were charged in connection with hijacking a car from two senior citizens at about 5 p.m., Thurs., April 7 in 700 block of North Grove Ave.

The carjackers were arrested within minutes of the incident, thanks to the quick action of the victims and their ability to identify the suspects in a street line up after they were captured less than three miles away.

Darryl G. Peters Jr., 19, of the 400 block of N. Trumbull Ave., and Anthony C. Johnson, 18, of the 3800 block of W. 13th St., each were charged with four counts of aggravated vehicular hijacking.

Two Chicago juveniles ages 15 and 17, both of the 1400 block of S. Hamlin St., were each charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular hijacking and one count of attempted armed robbery.

Bond was set at $250,000 each for Peters and Johnson. Their next court date is Tues., April 12 at the Fourth Municipal District Courthouse in Maywood.

The two juvenile suspects were transported to the Cook County secure juvenile detention center.

The incident occurred as the 71 year-old Oak Park victim sat in the driver’s seat of his 2002 Oldsmobile with the engine running in the alley at the rear of his residence in the 700 block of North Grove Avenue, while his 67-year-old wife removed items from the vehicle.

The victim told police one of the four suspects walked up to the driver’s door window, displayed a handgun and demanded the car. The victim said he got out of the car, the man with the gun got into the driver’s seat and two of the other suspects got into the backseat. The fourth suspect pointed a handgun at the victim’s wife as she stood on the passenger side of the vehicle before getting into the car, which then fled northbound in the alley.

The victims immediately called 911, and within minutes Chicago Police spotted the stolen vehicle, followed it into a dead-end alley and captured the suspects in the 300 block of North Parkside Avenue as they tried to flee on foot. The victims identified the four suspects during a street line up just after they were taken into custody.

Oak Park Police Chief Rick C. Tanksley praised the victims for their help, which he called critical to the quick arrests.

“This couple did everything right. They didn’t panic, they didn’t resist and they immediately called 911,” he said. “They also made it a point to retain details about their assailants that made it easy for them to make a positive identification. I think everyone can learn a lesson from how the victims handled themselves.”

photo of Darryl G. Peters Jr.
Darryl G. Peters

Photo of Anthony C. Johnson
Anthony C. Johnson