{
    "title": " Illinois State Police Combats Vehicle Hijacking and Theft",
    "modified_at": "2026-10-13 19:19:30",
    "published_at": "2026-10-13 19:19:00",
    "url": "https://illinois-state-police.prezly.com/illinois-state-police-combats-vehicle-hijacking-and-theft-ilbp7n",
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    "culture": "en",
    "language": "EN",
    "slug": "illinois-state-police-combats-vehicle-hijacking-and-theft-ilbp7n",
    "body": "<p style=\"text-align: center\">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</p><p style=\"text-align: center\">October 13, 2026</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SPRINGFIELD</strong> &ndash; The Illinois State Police (ISP) continues to target vehicle theft, hijacking, and related violent crimes using grant funding from the Illinois Secretary of State Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council. \u200b ISP was awarded a $10 million grant for the first fiscal year, another $677,000 in June 2024, and $637,500 in July 2025. </p><p style=\"text-align: justify\">From July through September 2026, ISP missions resulted in the following:</p>\n<div\n    class=\"table-container\"\n    style=\"\"\n>\n    <table\n        class=\"table table-bordered\"\n    >\n                            <tbody>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Vehicles recovered &ndash; stolen and/or hijacked</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>424</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Stolen vehicle arrests</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>21</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Hijacked vehicle arrests</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>1</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Firearms seized as a result of stolen/hijacked vehicle recovery</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>7</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Missions targeting stolen/hijacked vehicle recovery and related violent crime</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>38</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p style=\"text-align: justify\">K9 used for stolen/hijacked vehicle recovery and related violence crime</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>19</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Air Operations targeting stolen/hijacked vehicle recovery and related violent crime</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>38</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                            <tr>\n                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p style=\"text-align: justify\">Forensic laboratory assignments related to stolen/hijacked vehicle</p></div></td>                                            <td class=\"border\"><div class=\"text-default v-spacing\"><p>1,146</p></div></td>                                    </tr>\n                        </tbody>\n            </table>\n</div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"> Highlights of ISP vehicle recovery efforts: </p><ul class=\"release-content-list release-content-list--bulleted release-content-list--align-inherit\"><li><span>August 5, 2026, ISP learned of a crash on Garfield and Wells in Chicago involving a stolen Nissan. \u200b A Trooper located the Nissan at Wentworth and 59<sup>th</sup> and attempted a traffic stop, but the Nissan fled and crashed into a tree. \u200b The occupants attempted to run from the vehicle. \u200b ISP took two occupants into custody and recovered a firearm. </span></li><li><span>August 22, 2026, ISP located a stolen Chevrolet and attempted a traffic stop on I-55 at Halsted, but the Chevrolet fled. \u200b The Chevrolet stopped in an alley in the 7200 block of S. Union in Chicago and the four occupants ran from the vehicle. ISP took all four occupants into custody. </span></li><li><span>September 2, 2026, ISP located a Dodge involved in an aggravated vehicular hijacking on I-94 southbound at 79<sup>th</sup> and attempted a traffic stop, but the Dodge fled. \u200b The Dodge crashed into two unoccupied vehicles and the three occupants ran from the vehicle. \u200b All three occupants were taken into custody and a firearm was recovered. \u200b \u200b </span></li></ul><p style=\"text-align: center\">###</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: center\">&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: center\">&nbsp;</p><p style=\"text-align: center\">&nbsp;</p><div class=\"release-content-contact\" id=\"contact-2d8582c3-6660-46ec-be9a-ede92e8776d0\">\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__avatar\"><img src=\"https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/c186f24e-632d-4a36-87df-aa1eb28e1989/-/crop/425x425/63,0/-/preview/-/scale_crop/128x128/center/-/format/auto/\" alt=\"Illinois State Police\" class=\"release-content-contact__avatar-image\" /></div>\n    <div class=\"release-content-contact__details\">\n        <strong class=\"release-content-contact__name\">Illinois State Police</strong>\n        <em class=\"release-content-contact__description\">Public Information Office, Office of the Director</em>\n        <ul class=\"release-content-contact__details-list\"><li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"mailto:ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov\"  class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov\"><svg class=\"icon icon-paper-plane release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-paper-plane\"></use>\n            </svg>ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://twitter.com/@ILStatePolice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"@ILStatePolice\"><svg class=\"icon icon-twitter release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-twitter\"></use>\n            </svg>@ILStatePolice</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/ILStatePolice/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"ILStatePolice\"><svg class=\"icon icon-facebook release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-facebook\"></use>\n            </svg>ILStatePolice</a></li>\n<li class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item\"><a href=\"https://isp.illinois.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"release-content-contact__details-list-item-link\" title=\"isp.illinois.gov\"><svg class=\"icon icon-browser release-content-contact__details-list-item-icon\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#icon-browser\"></use>\n            </svg>isp.illinois.gov</a></li></ul>\n    </div>\n</div><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>",
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    "contacts": [
        {
            "name": "Illinois State Police",
            "company": "Office of the Director",
            "description": "Public Information Office",
            "email": "ISP.PIO.Personnel@illinois.gov",
            "website": "https://isp.illinois.gov/",
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