Two boys charged with burglary after stealing from cars at Metra station

Two 16-year-old boys were charged with burglary Tuesday in connection with several break-ins to vehicles parked at Metra’s Ashburn Station on the Southwest Service rail line.

The boys were each charged with one count of burglary to a motor vehicle, a class two felony, according to a statement from Metra. Their names were not released because they are juveniles.

At 4:10 p.m., Metra police officers were patrolling the Ashburn and Wrightwood train stations when they saw the two boys getting out of a parked vehicle then circling other vehicles and pulling handles checking for open doors, according to the statement.

Metra police immediately surrounded the two boys, one of whom dropped items from the vehicle on the ground. The owner of the vehicle claimed the items, according to the statement.

Both boys admitted their involvement in the thefts at the Ashburn Station parking lot, and additional charges against them are pending, according to the statement.

Metra police will continue to investigate to determine whether the boys were involved in any other burglaries at the Ashburn and Wrightwood parking lots, according to the statement.

“We will continue our surveillance of the parking lots and to vigorously investigate all incidents reported to us,” said Metra Police Chief Joseph Perez in the statement. “However, we can’t emphasize strongly enough how important it is for people in the area to help us and each other by reporting suspicious activity when they see it.”

Suspicious activity on Metra property should be reported to Metra police at (312) 322-2800.