A 26-year-old man from Ashton, Illinois, has been arrested on charges of vehicular hijacking after allegedly stealing a Jeep Grand Cherokee during what was intended to be a transaction arranged through Facebook Marketplace.

Payden Allen reportedly surrendered to the Chicago Police Department this week, accompanied by his legal counsel, and invoked his right to remain silent during questioning, as stated by law enforcement officials.

The incident occurred on July 23, when Allen allegedly met with a 24-year-old man from Chicago to purchase a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Following a test drive, Allen is accused of stopping the vehicle in the 6600 block of South Mozart Street to inspect the engine. While they were examining the SUV, Allen purportedly pushed the victim aside, entered the vehicle, secured the doors, and sped away with the Jeep.

Tim Hecke serves as the managing partner at CWBChicago. He began his career in broadcasting at KMOX, the storied radio station in St. Louis, before making his way to various stations in Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York City. Tim has developed syndicated radio news and content services that catered to all of America’s 100 largest radio markets. In 2019, he assumed the role of managing partner at CWBChicago.

To reach Tim, you can email him at tim@cwbchicago.com