O’Fallon police say juvenile arrested for alleged car theft was carrying a loaded gun

The O’Fallon Police Department arrested two juveniles, one of which allegedly had a loaded handgun.

According to a department press release, officers responded on Saturday to a call of several individuals attempting to break into cars in the neighborhood surrounding Estelle Kampmeyer Elementary School.

Two of the juveniles were taken into custody while in possession of a stolen vehicle.

One of the juveniles was charged with stealing a motor vehicle, burglary to a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a firearm and resisting a police officer. The second juvenile was charged with unlawful possession of stolen motor vehicle and resisting a police officer, according to the release.

Two stolen vehicles were recovered.

The O’Fallon Police turned the young suspects over to the St. Clair County juvenile court system.

“We will update people when we have more information. Because they are juveniles, we cannot release any other information at this time,” O’Fallon Police Department Capt. Kirk Brueggeman said.

Car thefts and burglaries are on the rise not only in O’Fallon, but in surrounding communities, police said. As such, the O’Fallon Police Department recommends several tips to keep cars and other property secure:

• Lock vehicles when they are not in use.
• Do not leave valuables in vehicles, especially in plain sight.
• Never leave keys in a vehicle if leaving the vehicle.
• Try to make sure the vehicle is left in a well-lighted area.

“We just want to get the message out to people to lock up their cars, don’t leave your garage doors open, don’t leave your keys in the car,” Brueggeman said.

This story was originally published July 8, 2021 at 4:17 PM.