A 73-year-old woman in suburban Homer Glen was violently ambushed, tied up, and robbed in her own home on Wednesday afternoon shortly after returning from the grocery store. Authorities have since taken three suspects into custody, who were apprehended after a police chase and vehicle crash.
Ambush at the Garage Door
The crime occurred at approximately 2:48 p.m. in the 16800 block of S. Deer Path Drive.
According to the Will County Sheriff’s Office, the 73-year-old was pulling her car into her garage when she was confronted by a man wearing a hoodie and holding a gun. A second suspect then forced the victim inside her home.
The attackers demanded cash and allegedly bound the victim’s wrists and ankles with household items, forcing her to sit in a chair. The suspects then took a credit card from her purse and demanded her PIN number.
Suspects Flee, Victim Calls for Help
Before leaving, the suspects stole her cell phone and drove to a bank in nearby Orland Park, where they withdrew $2,000 from the victim’s account.
Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike stated, “They left her tied up, and they said, ‘You can go ahead and call the police, but by the time you are able to do that, we’ll be long gone.'”
The victim was able to free herself about 20 minutes after the suspects fled. She then rushed to a neighbor’s house to call 911. Authorities believe she was targeted because of her age, though the attack appears to have been random.
The victim is reportedly shaken but physically okay.
Police Pursuit Ends in Capture
Investigators determined the suspects had followed the victim home in a dark-colored Acura stolen out of Chicago.
Late Thursday evening, the Will County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that three suspects were captured by Joliet police. Patrol officers spotted the stolen Acura on McDonough Street and attempted a traffic stop. The driver fled, triggering a multi-agency pursuit that ended when the vehicle crashed near Route 52 and Rowell Avenue.
All three suspects fled the wreckage on foot but were quickly located and taken into custody after multiple agencies set up a search perimeter. One of the suspects, a juvenile, was transported to a hospital.
Police noted that all three suspects, who are from the City of Chicago, have “extensive criminal histories, including prior weapons-related offenses.”
Authorities are investigating a similar robbery that happened earlier the same day in nearby Lemont, but the Will County Sheriff’s Office has not yet confirmed if the two incidents are connected.
Watch the news video below.
