Boy, 16, charged with vehicle theft, possessing handgun in Plainfield Township

A 16-year-old Romeoville boy was charged with illegally owning a loaded handgun and stealing a pick-up truck Monday afternoon in southwest suburban Plainfield Township.

About 1:10 p.m., a female reported her 2008 Dodge Ram was stolen in front of her home in the 13000 block block of Danbury Drive, according to a press release from the Will County sheriff’s office.

She had left it running to warm up and, about ten minutes later, saw two teenage boys get inside and drive away, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputy officers drove to the scene and saw the pick-up truck on Old Renwick Road and Trading Post Lane in Joliet, the sheriff’s office said. They tried to pull it over.

The driver, a 16-year-old boy, did not stop and spun out into a ditch, the sheriff’s office said. He got out of the truck and started running into the woods nearby.

Sheriff deputies, Joliet police officers and a K9 dog found the 16-year-old and arrested him, the sheriff’s office said. They also confiscated a loaded 9mm semi-automatic handgun he was carrying.

Also in his possession were keys to a 2004 Buick and 2013 Jeep Patriot that were both reported stolen from Plainfield Township while their owners left them running, the sheriff’s office said. The first vehicle was swiped from West Bloomfield Drive at 8 a.m. on Jan. 22 and the second from Ardmore Circle about 7 a.m. Feb. 6.

The 16-year-old was charged with motor vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, unlawful use of a weapon and possessing a gun without a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card, the sheriff’s office said. He was taken to River Valley Juvenile Justice Center.

His identity was not released because he is a minor.

The second teenage boy seen by the female whose Dodge was stolen has not been found, the sheriff’s office said.