Chicago carjackings: At least 4 more juveniles arrested by region wide taskforce

CHICAGO (WLS) -- At least four more juveniles have been arrested this week for carjackings in the city of Chicago.

All used a firearm to commit their crimes, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said at a news conference held with members of the region wide taskforce created to specifically combat carjackings.

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"More than half of our offenders are juvenile offenders. And there has just not been an appetite in the juvenile courts to hold them," Brown said.

The superintendent did have some good news; there have been 182 arrests since the start of 2022, and carjackings are down 20% so far this year compared to last. He credited the cross-collaboration within law enforcement agencies for those successes.

"We believe strongly across all of these departments, regardless of age offenders need to be brought to justice," he said.

READ MORE: Woman pistol-whipped by carjacker in Lakeview, police say

Brown also highlighted the need to get more resources into the air that would allow CPD, to chase offenders that way, rather than on the streets.

There are resources that can also greatly help smaller communities involved in the task force, like Forest Park which is one of three new members to join this week.

"We've had 47 vehicular carjackings in Forest Park over the last two years. It's become endemic. It's a problem. Investigating them individually has been difficult to do and hasn't really stopped the problem" said Lt. Pete Morriset, Forest Park Police Department.