Thieves nabbed in manhunt
on Kankakee River        

[JUNE 14, 2005]  BARDWELL ISLAND, Will County -- Illinois Conservation Police officers, Illinois State Police, the Will County Sheriff's Department, and K-9 units from Braidwood and Wilmington joined together in a massive manhunt on Monday, resulting in the arrests of two men and one woman who are suspected of committing a series of thefts of boats on the Kankakee River. They have also been linked to the theft of a pickup truck in Sangamon County.

"This was very dangerous and could have turned out very ugly," said Conservation Police Sgt. Mark Simon. "These suspects were heavily armed. Because of this excellent interagency cooperation, the suspects are behind bars."

A citizen made the initial report of the suspects to police at approximately 8 a.m., alerting authorities to a boat theft in progress on the Kankakee River. As police pursuit ensued, the fleeing suspects stole and abandoned two more boats before seeking to elude officers on Bardwell Island.

Officers continued the manhunt on the island, relying on the Illinois Conservation Police force airboat and canines from Braidwood and Wilmington, as well as Illinois State Police aircraft for assistance. Rugged terrain on the island, including grasses growing 12 feet tall, made pursuit challenging to law enforcement. The suspects, who were heavily armed, were apprehended at approximately 1 p.m.

The suspects are jailed in Will County Jail on a variety of preliminary felony charges. Stolen property valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars has been recovered but has incurred damage.

[Illinois Department of Natural Resources news release]