Who says the suburbs are boring?

We had an escaped criminal on the loose here over the last two days. You may have heard about it.

It started in Rolling Meadows, just a few miles from my mom's house. They guy overpowered his escorts, took there clothes, then went into a Meijer store to buy some stuff. Then, when he came out of the store, he noticed the escorts freed themselves so he jacked a lady's car and headed towards Arlington Heights. Right by my old high school and current place of employment. I was off of work that day, so I wasn't scared. Seriously.

Since I was home and not watching TV, Jenn sent me a text message asking me to let her know when I had the kids at home and to make sure I lock the doors. No, I don't do that on the car all that often. But, in my defense, I grew up in the suburbs. Nothing ever happens here. Well, usually nothing happens.

The police swarmed an apartment building near work, but nothing came of it that day. I will say I double checked the door locks at home, and kept my eyes open on the street. I didn't want to be a hero, but if reward money was involved I could be persuaded to be more vigilant.

Not much happened the rest of the night as the police and US Marshals kept searching. The next morning I checked the Chicago Tribune website to see what was new on the investigation. I think I checked it around 8am and noticed the guy had struck again. This time he jacked a car in Hoffman Estates. This was about two miles from my house. Yikes! I'm glad I saw that after I was at work and the kids were at school. I just hoped the dogs would be okay...

Once again, he eluded police and they weren't sure where he was until he robbed a bank. Two things about that. He was going to prison for bank robbery, and he robbed the SAME BANK back in 2008. I must say this guy wasn't as bright as I thought. Why wasn't he many miles away? He should have been out of the state by this time.

A few hours later he was spotted and chased by police, stopped in a Taco Bell parking lot, gunned it out of there as the officers got out of the car, and was chased and crashed a few miles later. It sounds like he totaled the car he had stolen. I wonder how the insurance coverage works on that. "No, sorry ma'am. You gave the keys away. Not our problem." Also, can this person sue the agency that was transporting this individual? If it wasn't for their ineptitude her car would never have been stolen and wrecked. I'd also sue for psychological trauma. Why not?

He was taken down and cuffed, which is surprising. I thought this would go down a bit different based on the previous 48 hours. I didn't think he's come out alive. It's probably a good thing he got into an accident that hurt him. It made it a lot less messy.


See, we have exciting times in the suburbs. This kid of stuff happens at least once every 15 years! I'm glad it's over. I need a vacation from all this stress...