Around 10:45pm on Sunday, May 23rd, Galesburg Police were dispatched to the 100 block of North Garfield for a vehicle theft that had occurred earlier in the night. The vehicle’s owner met with police and said his truck’s keys were stolen out of the truck approximately three weeks ago. He went out for a couple of hours earlier in the night, and when he returned, the truck was gone. As police talked with the owner – the truck turned down Garfield and drove past them. Police recognized the 14-year old male juvenile behind the wheel. GPD attempted to make a traffic stop on the truck, but the driver increased speed – passing numerous other vehicles. Police caught up with the vehicle which had pulled into a driveway on the corner of West North and North Jefferson Streets. The truck was still in drive, the driver’s door was wide open, and smoke was coming from under the hood. The owner assessed the truck’s damage which included severed brakes, and a badly damaged passenger door. Additional officers and a K9 unit arrived to canvas the area. The male juvenile’s father later notified police that he was home. Police took the 14-year old into custody and eventually transported him to the Mary Davis Home. He’s charged with Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Reckless Driving, No Valid Driver’s License, and Criminal Damage to Property – A Class 4 Felony.
