Four people have been charged with driving in the stolen vehicle used to carjack three children Sunday night in West Rogers Park while their father stepped away from their idling SUV.
Police say a 49-year-old man exited his Toyota Highlander and left his three children inside it about 11:20 p.m., Chicago police said.
Two male suspects in a Toyota Camry approached the Highlander in the 3100 block of West Devon Avenue, where one of the males exited near the Highlander and jumped inside the Highlander, police said.
The carjacking suspect drove off with the kids still inside, and drove to the 3500 block of North Devon Avenue, where the suspect abandoned the SUV and re-entered the Camry, police said.
The children — a 9-year-old boy and two girls, ages 4 and 16 — were reunited safely with their father, police said.
About two hours later, officers saw the Camry at a gas station in the 4200 block of West Lawrence Avenue and arrested four passengers: Steffy Lagunas, 19, of Logan Square; Ralphy Enriquez, 22, of Albany Park; Kaily Lagunas, 19, of Melrose Park; and an unnamed 16-year-old male juvenile, police said.
Police said the Camry had been reported stolen, and charged each of them with a misdemeanor count of criminal trespass to a vehicle.
The driver of the Camry ran and was not arrested, police said.
No one has been charged in connection to the carjacking, a police spokeswoman said.
