13-year-old accused of stealing four cars
A Hillsboro teen is in juvenile detention awaiting a psychological exam after he is accused of stealing cars four separate times in the period of a week.
According to the Hillsboro Police Chief, the 13-year-old suspect who was not named because he is a juvenile, swiped a car early on the morning of March 28 on the south end of town. He drove it to Litchfield and, on the way back, was pulled over by police.
“He went to court that day on the first one,” Chief Gary Satterlee said. “Then on Wednesday (March 30) he decided to steal three more.”
Satterlee said all of the cars had the keys left in them, a practice that is common in the rural community located 65 miles northeast of St. Louis.
“Welcome to Hillsboro,” Satterlee said. “If you need a ride, just look under the floor mat for the keys.
“I tell people and tell people not to leave their keys in their car, and they say they feel safe here because it’s a small community,” Satterlee said. “I tell them that’s nice, but people still steal things if they have an opportunity.”
I tell people and tell people not to leave their keys in their car, and they say they feel safe here because it’s a small community. I tell them that’s nice, but people still steal things if they have an opportunity.
Hillsboro Police Chief Gary Satterlee
No formal charges have been filed against the juvenile while he is awaiting evaluation, Satterlee said. But he faces several felony counts after that process is completed.
Police said they know of no specific motive for the thefts. When asked if it was teenage rebellion or if the juvenile just needed a ride somewhere, he said “probably a little of both.”
According to authorities, two of the cars the suspect took were damaged, one may have been totaled when it was used to smash down a fence around the football field at the local high school.
Police had no estimate Tuesday of the amount of damage done during the crime spree.
The boy is well known to police, although he’s never committed crimes this serious before.
“We’re familiar with him,” Satterlee said. “But it’s never been anything like this. Curfew, that sort of thing.”
Scott Wuerz: 618-239-2626, @scottwuerzBND
This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 2:27 PM with the headline "13-year-old accused of stealing four cars."