Two Chicago teenagers have been arrested after the attempted vehicle hijacking and robbery of a 79-year-old woman, police said Thursday.
The woman, who is from Hammond, Ind., was loading items into the trunk of her 2001 Toyota Prism while parked on the 500 block of North Taylor Avenue at about 3 p.m. Tuesday when she was approached by a 14-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy. The 16-year-old pushed the woman against the trunk and took her purse, while the 14-year-old took her car keys and attempted to start the vehicle, police said. The car did not start, and police are not sure if it was because of an error by the 14-year-old or if the car simply malfunctioned, said Cmdr. LaDon Reynolds.
The woman then began screaming and yelling and the two teens fled on foot. The woman was not seriously harmed and no weapons were displayed during the robbery.
Police apprehended the 16-year-old a short time later on the 5900 block of West Rice Street in Chicago and charged him with felony aggravated robbery. The 14-year-old was arrested near midnight Wednesday on the 100 block of North Laporte Avenue in Chicago and charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking and robbery, both felonies. He was also found to have an outstanding warrant out of Cook County for possession of a controlled substance.
Both teenagers were transported to the juvenile detention center.