Four people were taken into custody after suspects in a burglary at an Addison gaming lounge led police on a pursuit through multiple western Chicago suburbs that ended on the Eisenhower Expressway early Thursday morning.
Around 4:30 a.m., Addison, Illinois, police said officers were investigating several gaming locations after recent burglary activity. Officers spotted a Dodge Durango with no license plates and a BMW pulling into the parking lot of Maria's Gaming Cafe at 40 East Lake, where a previous burglary had been reported.
Addison police were assisted by other agencies in a pursuit, and a tire deflation device was deployed. The BMW stopped, and the people inside got into the Dodge and fled the scene.
Police in Villa Park, Addison's neighbor to the south, were notified and found the Dodge pulling away near North Avenue and Route 83. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver of the car continued.
Another tire deflation device was deployed, and the Dodge soon crashed near the Eisenhower (Interstate 290) and 25th Avenue, where Maywood, Bellwood and Broadview meet. Police said seven people got out of the car and ran off.
Police initially said five people were taken into custody, but later said only four. Police also said multiple weapons and proceeds believed to be connected to the burglary were recovered from the car. Both vehicles used in the break-in had been stolen.
"It's just crazy that all that for one break-in. I'm just glad no one else got injured on the highway. It could have been a really bad scenario," Maria's Gaming Cafe owner Tony Marato said.
Marato said it's the second time burglars have broken into the business this year.
"They broke the front window out … and broke all the machines up," he said. "They come in with sledgehammers and smashed all the machines up."
Marato said burglars also smashed out his front window in May.
"It probably took us about a couple months to get into full operations," he said. "It's heartbreaking and unfortunate that it keeps happening."
The investigation is ongoing.
