Chicago Police Use GPS Tracker to Arrest Armed Robber
Chicago police successfully apprehended an armed robber thanks to a secret GPS tracker that allowed a police helicopter to track the suspect’s movements for over 25 miles across the city, leading to one arrest, as per prosecutors.
The robbery took place at the GameStop located at 1751 West Howard last Tuesday evening. Four individuals entered the store, pepper-sprayed a female employee, and seized keys to access cash drawers, as reported by the CPD.
Following the robbery, the suspects fled in a red SUV with stolen cash amounting to $1125, a gamer headset worth $25, and the hidden GPS tracker. A CPD helicopter managed to locate the SUV and trailed it until it reached the 13000 block of South Ellis, where the suspects abandoned the vehicle and ran into a nearby residence. The helicopter team relayed the exact address to ground units.
Upon reaching the identified address, police officers witnessed an individual fleeing from the back of the house, who ultimately evaded capture. Meanwhile, a woman inside the residence cooperated with law enforcement and directed them to 18-year-old Dequan O’Neil, who was found in the bathroom.
Upon activation of an alarm on the GPS tracker by the tracking company, authorities discovered the device concealed among a stack of cash within a box of miscellaneous items in the bathroom where O’Neil was located, according to the CPD report.
Two GameStop employees positively identified O’Neil as one of the robbers, leading prosecutors to file a detention petition. Judge Susana Ortiz granted the state’s request, highlighting O’Neil’s recent completion of juvenile probation for a previous armed robbery involving a knife.
