A 61-year-old employee of the Ann Reid Early Childhood Center in Naperville was not injured when a teen stole her purse and car Monday night, authorities said.
The woman pulled into the early childhood center parking lot about 8:30 p.m. when no students were in the building, followed shortly by a driver and passenger in a white vehicle, Naperville police said Tuesday.
When the victim got out of her car to walk into the school, Cmrd. Lou Cammiso said a black male teen approached her, stole her purse and then took her gray 2011 BMW X5 and fled south on Naper Boulevard.
Police said the suspect is described as clean shaven and wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, standing about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing about 160 pounds with a medium complexion.
He was driven to the early childhood center at 1011 S. Naper Blvd. by an unknown person, who fled before police arrived.
Cammiso said police believe the suspects followed the woman to her workplace. He said police are not planning any additional security or patrols at the early childhood center, which is part of Naperville Unit District 203.
“We don’t believe the school was necessarily targeted,” Cammiso said. “We believe the victim was targeted.”
Spokeswoman Michelle Fregoso said District 203 informed parents and employees about the carjacking, and staff members were shaken up when they heard the news.
But police told the district there is no increased threat to students or staff — the carjacking easily could have happened elsewhere if the woman stopped at a store or a doctor’s office instead of the school — so classes operated as usual Tuesday.
Fregoso said the district is reminding employees to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings.
Police are searching for surveillance video and canvassing the area for potential witnesses, although Cammiso said they haven’t yet found anyone who saw the carjacking take place. They ask anyone with information to contact the investigations division at (630) 420-6666.
Cammiso said police do not know if this carjacking is connected to the recent incidents in Naperville, Chicago, Evanston and Villa Park in which luxury cars have been stolen from dealerships.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
