Shelter-in-place for Joliet lifted after search for potentially armed suspects

JOLIET, Ill. - Amid tense moments in Joliet, residents were asked to shelter in place, as police searched for burglary suspects in the southwestern suburb.

Police have since arrested three suspects, but one man remained on the run as of Tuesday evening.

"Initially heard helicopters and saw the lights from the police cars," said Doreen Swanson, who lives in Joliet. "And that’s what we initially heard, we knew something was wrong though, something was very wrong."

Around 5 a.m., Joliet police were alerted that DuPage County law enforcement agencies were pursuing four suspects in two stolen vehicles.

"I was on my way to work and you know, all the police was everywhere, scared me," said Vanessa Anderson, who lives in Joliet.

Before sunrise, police swarmed the area of Black Road and Junie Court in Joliet, where officers from other jurisdictions attempted to stop the stolen vehicles.

"Once the vehicle was tracked into the Joliet jurisdiction, officers from those other agencies attempted to stop the vehicle at which time the vehicle fled. Those officers did deploy stop sticks and the vehicle became inoperable," said Sgt. Dwayne English, PIO, Joliet Police Department.

That’s when police say the suspects took off running.

"And we couldn’t see far up the street or over west of us, but we could see some of the lights," said Swanson.

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A shelter-in-place was issued as police learned the suspects may have been armed.

K9s and drones also assisted in the search.

At least one suspect was arrested in the 1200 block of Taylor Street, where Swanson says police were searching for the others.

"Places where possibly people might hide, and there are a couple places around here where there’s garages open, people don’t lock their cars, they were checking everything out," said Swanson.

Two other men were later arrested, and by 10:30 a.m., the shelter-in-place order was lifted.

The suspects in custody are two men, 21 and 20, and a 16-year-old boy. All of them are from Chicago, police said.

It’s unclear if any weapons were recovered from the suspects when they were taken into custody.

The fourth suspect appeared to have fled the area. Police are still searching for him.

"The information that I received is that these individuals have been responsible for numerous car thefts and associated burglaries in the western and northern suburbs," said English.

Police say one of two stolen vehicles involved in this incident was taken out of Lockport.

The Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force is leading the investigation.