Teen charged with series of vehicle burglaries in Woodstock

(WOODSTOCK) A teenage boy who allegedly was caught driving a stolen car while drunk in Woodstock early Thursday also was charged with a series of vehicle burglaries in the northwest suburb.

About 1:30 a.m., police spotted the 17-year-old driving a gray 1988 Ford Mustang erratically near Madison and Hutchins streets, according to a statement from Woodstock police.

A patrol officer pulled the car over and the boy appeared intoxicated, police said. The Mustang had been reported stolen from the 200 block of Dean Street in Woodstock.

While searching the car, officers found an item that had been stolen in one of numerous burglaries of unlocked vehicles over the last two weeks in Woodstock, police said. Investigators interviewed the teen and connected him to several of those incidents.

The boy–whose name was withheld by police due to his age–faces seven felony counts of burglary and one felony count of possession of a stolen vehicle, in addition to 12 misdemeanors including DUI, reckless driving and theft.

He was referred to juvenile court and released to his guardian, police said.