OAK BROOK, Ill. – Two suspects were arrested early on Friday, January 31, in Oak Brook after being linked to multiple vehicle thefts and burglaries, with connections to crimes in both Illinois and Indiana.
Around 2:55 a.m., Oak Brook police responded to reports of suspicious activity in the York Woods subdivision. Officers spotted two vehicles, a dark-colored Nissan Rogue with Indiana plates and a Hyundai Sonata with Illinois plates, leaving the area. The Sonata was later confirmed to be stolen.
A police chase ensued, which led to a foot pursuit in nearby Westchester. Two suspects were arrested: Xavier E. Walker, 19, of Hammond, Indiana, and a 17-year-old juvenile from Chicago.
According to police, the duo had broken into several vehicles and rummaged through mailboxes in Oak Brook, looking for valuables. Detectives also linked them to similar crimes in Hammond the previous night.
Walker now faces felony charges for possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of burglary tools, and fleeing from the police. The juvenile faces felony charges for possession of a stolen vehicle and was placed in the Kane County Juvenile Detention Center.
However, the Nissan Rogue was involved in a separate incident in Chicago later that same morning. Authorities said two men from the vehicle attempted to rob a sanitation worker in the Homan Square neighborhood. The worker, who holds a concealed carry license, shot both suspects. One, a 42-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene, while a 20-year-old suspect was hospitalized in critical condition.
The identities of the two suspects involved in the shooting have not yet been released, and Chicago’s Area Four detectives are continuing the investigation.
In Oak Brook, police are urging residents to report any suspicious activity. “This incident illustrates the importance of calling 911 when you observe anything out of the ordinary in your neighborhood,” said Oak Brook Police Chief Brian Strockis.
