Police say recent carjacking incidents in Edgebrook, Jefferson Park not what they initially appeared to be

by BRIAN NADIG

A recently reported armed carjacking at an Edgebrook gas station and a reported attempted carjacking in Jefferson Park are not what they initially appeared to be, as follow-up investigations have revealed additional information, according to Chicago police.

The Jan. 4 incident at the BP station at Central and Caldwell avenues was not a random incident, as the victim and offenders appeared to have known each other or had at least planned to meet there, police said at a Jan. 16 meeting hosted by the Edgebrook Community Association and aldermen James Gardiner (45th) and Samantha Nugent (39th).

Surveillance footage showed assailants enter the man’s car, and he reported to police that he was pistol whipped before fleeing his vehicle.

The reported stolen car was later recovered following a chase, and four individuals were questioned in connection with the incident in Edgebrook, police said.

However, the man attacked at the gas station did not want to press charges, and a subsequent investigation led detectives to believe the incident was not a random act of violence, police said.

Two of the individuals were released without being charged, while another was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, and the fourth was charged with unlawful possession of a stolen motor vehicle, police said.

The man who was attacked at the gas station did not own the car, and the relative or acquaintance who did sought to press charges, police said.

It is not clear why the group of men were at the gas station and what sparked the attack and theft of the vehicle, police said.

In an unrelated incident later the same day as the Edgebrook incident, a man reported that he was the victim of an attempted carjacking near Central Avenue and Goodman Street and that in an attempt to get away, he reportedly accelerated and crashed into a nearby guardrail.

Detectives suspect that initial report of an attempted carjacking was not true, and the man is facing a criminal charge in connection with the incident, police said.

At the meeting 16th (Jefferson Park) District captain Felipe Reyes praised the work of detectives in both cases.

The 90-minute meeting included lengthy discussions on crime and the handling of juvenile suspects, who officials said are often released to their parents with no programming in place to address the reasons why they committed a theft or robbery and to help make sure they don’t commit a similar crime. One police official said they may be given a curfew which is followed for a day or two as a condition of their release.

A follow-up story from Nadig Newspapers will focus on these discussions.

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