Stolen cars enter the village, flee police

Hinsdale police discovered four stolen vehicles in the village last week, chasing them to the La Grange village boundary, according to Hinsdale Police Chief Brian King.

At 4:48 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, Hinsdale patrol officers made contact with the four vehicles in the 10 block of North Grant Ave. The vehicles, which were later determined to have been stolen from Burr Ridge and Indian Head Park, fled east with officers in pursuit.

The pursuit was terminated as the chase entered La Grange on 47th Street due to the high rate of speed. King said home surveillance cameras showed that the perpetrators also attempted to open vehicles near the intersection of Ayres and North Washington streets and in the 500 and 600 blocks of North Washington prior to the officers’ arrival.

King reported that overnight stolen auto activity has been on the rise regionally.

“In the last two weeks there has been a lot of overnight stolen auto activity in the eastern DuPage/west Cook County area,” he said.

Thieves typically target cars left unlocked with the key fobs inside, he noted.

“Although Hinsdale has not lost any vehicles in this recent spree, we want residents to know that offenders are clearly attempting to work the neighborhoods in our area to find cars to steal,” King said.

He advised residents to be vigilant by locking vehicle doors and securing key fobs every night. Residents also should assume the perpetrators are armed.

“We encourage residents not to confront the thieves but to call 9-1-1,” he stressed.