Bridgeview Fire Vehicle stolen, no one injured

A Bridgeview Fire Department personal command vehicle (SUV) was left idling in “Park” in front of the Bridgeview Fire House Station 2 at 100th Place just west of Harlem Avenue where it was stolen Thursday morning around 11 am.

The Battalion Chief had left the car running (which is standard procedure for emergency first responders) to stop in the fire house. When he exited the vehicle had been stolen. The vehicle was reported stolen and minutes later Police in the neighboring City of Burbank, Illinois spotted the stolen red colored Fire SUV at 87th and Harlem and gave pursuit.

The driver took the police on a long ride into Chicago driving near 71st and Stoney Island Avenue on Chicago;’s Southeast Side, then through Hyde Park and then down the Dan Ryan expressway exiting onto Lake Shore Drive. Chicago Police succeeded in surrounding the vehicle on Lake Shore Drive near Monroe Avenue forcing him to come to a full stop.

A typical Fire Department Command Vehicle, Red SUV

Police tried to convince the suspect to open the doors and exit the vehicle but the man, who is not yet identified because formal charges have not yet been filed, refused. Police then broke the back driver’s window to open the vehicle and apprehend the suspect.

The suspect, identified as a White male age 52, with a Chicago address although a suspicion that he might be homeless, was then turned over to Bridgeview Police around 1 pm. Bridgeview police returned the vehicle and suspect to Bridgeview where charges are pending against the suspect.

No one was injured or hurt.

Emergency responder vehicles are often left running to allow first responders to respond as fast as possible to emergency calls. There is a security system in place to prevent them from moving and I am not sure the system was compromised by the suspect.

UPDATE === SATURDAY July 27, 2019 ===

The suspect was charged and identified on Friday as: Thomas Wrobel, 52

His address is listed as being from the 6300 block of 92nd place Oak Lawn (although he has several including one in Chicago)

Formally charged on Friday with:

1 count – Aggravated Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicle

1 count – Aggravated Fleeing/Eluding

1 count – Aggravated Assault to a Police Officer

1 count – Aggravated Revoked Drivers License

1 count – Resisting Arrest

Thomas Wrobel has been transported to the Cook County Jail by the Bridgeview Police Department early Friday evening and his court date for bond is scheduled to be Saturday in the morning at the Cook County Court building at 26th and Californina.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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