Authorities say the victims, ages 73 and 65, were ambushed while pulling into their garages on consecutive afternoons.
LEMONT, IL — Two women were tied up and robbed in separate home invasions in Homer Glen and Lemont on Wednesday and Thursday, prompting a multiagency search that ended with three suspects in custody after a vehicle pursuit and crash in Will County, officials said.
Investigators say the crimes appear connected: both victims were followed by a dark-colored Acura reported stolen out of Chicago, confronted by armed men in or near their garages, bound with items found inside the homes and robbed of bank cards and PINs. Police said cash was later withdrawn at banks in nearby suburbs. As of Friday, authorities were interviewing the suspects — three Chicago residents, including a juvenile — and preparing charges. The cases have sparked concern in the southwest suburbs because the victims were targeted as they returned from errands during daylight hours.
Shortly before 2:50 p.m. Wednesday, a 73-year-old Homer Glen resident returned from the grocery store and pulled into the garage of her home in the 16800 block of South Deer Path. A man in a hoodie pointed a handgun and demanded cash, according to the Will County Sheriff’s Office. A second man stepped from a dark Acura that had tailed her. The intruders forced the woman into a chair, bound her wrists and ankles, and took a credit card from her purse while demanding her PIN. After the men left, they withdrew about $2,000 from her account at a bank in Orland Park. The woman freed herself roughly 20 minutes later, went to a neighbor’s house and called 911, Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike said. “She was shaken, but she did everything she could to get help,” Neitzke-Troike said.
On Thursday around 3 p.m., Lemont police reported a similar attack in the 1100 block of Covington Drive. A 65-year-old woman was unloading boxes in her driveway when a black Acura pulled up. Two masked, armed men entered her garage, forced her inside, bound her and took her ATM card and PIN, police said. Investigators said cash was withdrawn from a nearby bank shortly after. Officers circulated an area-wide alert with the vehicle description. Later that afternoon and evening, Joliet police spotted the Acura and tried to stop it on McDonough Street, according to a Will County update. The driver fled, triggering a coordinated pursuit that ended when the vehicle crashed near Route 52 and Rowell Avenue in unincorporated Will County. Three suspects ran but were located after a search and were taken into custody; one was taken to a hospital, authorities said.
Officials said the three people in custody have extensive criminal histories, including weapons offenses, and are from Chicago. One is a juvenile. Detectives from the Will County Sheriff’s Office, Lemont Police Department, Homer Glen contract deputies and Joliet police are comparing evidence from both scenes, including surveillance video and license-plate reader hits tied to the Acura. The Homer Glen victim told officers the men threatened her while demanding the PIN; the Lemont victim reported being forced from the garage into her home at gunpoint. Both women were evaluated after the incidents; no serious physical injuries were reported. Authorities have not released the suspects’ names or ages pending charges. Whether any other crew members were involved remains unknown.
Records from the initial Homer Glen call show deputies were dispatched at 2:48 p.m. Wednesday. The reported bank withdrawal in Orland Park followed soon after. In Lemont, neighbors told officers they noticed the Acura idling near the block around the time the 65-year-old arrived home. Police said the Acura had been reported stolen in Chicago before the suburban crimes. The pursuit that ended the manhunt involved multiple agencies and a temporary perimeter near Route 52 and Rowell Avenue; earlier radio traffic also referenced I-55 in Will County. Officers recovered items believed taken during the robberies, according to preliminary reports, though investigators have not detailed the full inventory.
As the cases move forward, detectives are preparing felony filings tied to home invasion, armed robbery and unlawful restraint. The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office is expected to review arrest reports and evidence for charging decisions. Authorities said initial court appearances could take place as early as this weekend if charges are approved. Police in both towns planned to share updates once charges are filed and names are released. Officials also said they are checking recent reports in nearby suburbs to see if similar patterns — drivers following residents home from stores and confronting them at garages — appear in other incidents. Any additional search warrants or forensic reviews of phones recovered during the arrests would be sought through Will County courts.
On the blocks where the crimes occurred, residents described a quiet rhythm interrupted by squad cars and a helicopter during Thursday’s search. A Lemont neighbor said she saw officers running between backyards after the crash and later watched tow trucks haul away the Acura. In Homer Glen, a resident on South Deer Path described seeing detectives canvas the area and ask for doorbell video. “People are rattled because it was daytime and right at home,” said a longtime homeowner who declined to give his name. Neitzke-Troike said village staff have been in contact with the Homer Glen victim and that she is recovering with help from relatives.
As of Friday night, the three suspects were in custody while investigators finalized reports for prosecutors. Authorities said additional details — including names, precise charges and bond information — are expected after charging decisions and initial court hearings, which could come this weekend. Further updates are anticipated once police complete interviews and review surveillance footage.
Author note: Last updated December 12, 2025.