Seven subjects, who were suspected in a burglary, were questioned by police following a brief standoff in Highland Park Saturday afternoon as numerous home burglaries have recently been reported in the area.
The Highland Park Police Department responded around 3:30 p.m. Saturday to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the driveway of a home under construction in the 100 block of Roger Williams Avenue.
The vehicle, a black GMC Acadia, was reportedly parked for over 15 minutes and matched the description of a vehicle possibly used in a burglary in a neighboring town.
Officers saw the GMC traveling west on Roger Williams Avenue.
The GMC was blocked in by multiple police squad cars and a parked delivery van on the Roger Williams bridge.
Officers attempted to make contact with the seven occupants but they refused to comply with the officers’ commands.
After several minutes, the driver of the GMC attempted to escape the blockade but the vehicle was wedged between the delivery van and the bridge guard rail.
Police continued attempts to make contact with the occupants of the GMC.
Neighboring police departments responded to assist because officers could not see through the tinted windows.
All the occupants were eventually taken into custody for questioning.
In total, the occupants refused to comply with officers’ commands for more than 15 minutes.
Police collected evidence and contacted homeowners within a two-block radius of the incident for information and to answer questions regarding the police activity.
They were all released without charges after police consulted with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The Highland Park Police Department is continuing to investigate the case with other police agencies.
The incident comes after three residential burglaries, an attempted residential burglary and a burglary from a vehicle were reported to police last week in Highland Park.
The first burglary occurred between 8:15 a.m. and 5:23 p.m. last Tuesday in the 1300 block of Cavell Avenue.
A subject or subjects reportedly used a patio chair to make entry into a residence through a garage window.
Six watches inside a watch box, along with several other pieces of jewelry and heirlooms, were stolen.
The estimated value of the items is $8,800, the report said.
Another residential burglary occurred sometime between November 9 and last Tuesday in the 1200 block of Linden Avenue.
A subject or subjects broke a rear window and entered the residence.
The residence was ransacked and an estimated $20,000 in jewelry was reportedly stolen.
The third residential burglary occurred in the 1400 block of Arbor Avenue between 11:15 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. last Wednesday.
A subject or subjects broke into the residence through multiple rear doors and took an unknown amount of jewelry, the report said.
An attempted residential burglary occurred at 3:05 p.m. last Tuesday in the 800 block of Park Avenue West.
A white Jeep SUV backed into the driveway of a home and two subjects exited, the report said.
They knocked on the door and the residents inside did not respond.
The subjects then attempted to gain access to the home but fled upon hearing the residents inside.
Police also received a report on Friday of a burglary from a motor vehicle at the George W. Lutz Family Center, 800 Clavey Road.
The rear window of a vehicle was smashed and a subject or subjects stole a purse that contained cash, identification and credit cards.
The City of Highland Park said that police are working proactively to investigate and prevent burglaries, like increasing patrol staffing and deploying officers that specifically focus on burglary prevention and detection.
Officials are reminding residents to report suspicious activity to the police.