CHICAGO — An 18-year-old woman and two 13-year-old boys robbed and carjacked a man, then got caught because staff members from a nearby school recognized all of them, prosecutors said.
Trenise Rhodes, 18, and the unnamed juveniles are each charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking with a weapon. The boys are also charged with robbery of a victim over 60 years old.
During a bail hearing for Rhodes, Assistant State’s Attorney Rhianna Biernat said the victim was sitting in his Jeep Compas in the 8500 block of South Calumet when Rhodes and the boys walked up to his car around 10:15 a.m. on April 26.
Biernat said that the juveniles and Rhodes opened his driver’s door, and Rhodes struck the victim, knocking the glasses from his face. The group threatened the man, pointed pepper spray at him, and ordered him to get out of the car.
But the victim decided to run away. Rhodes yelled for him to give her the car keys as the trio chased him down the street, Biernat said. A doorbell camera recorded part of the chase.
After pushing the man to the ground, the boys and Rhodes took the car keys from his pocket, returned to his Jeep, and drove away, Biernat alleged.
When shown the doorbell camera footage, a witness identified the boys by name because they are students at a nearby school, Biernat said.
Rhodes was identified because police made contact with her earlier in the day after she sprayed pepper spray in the school, according to Biernat. Cops escorted her from the building, but she returned and began throwing rocks and bricks at the school windows, Biernat said.
Rhodes faces a misdemeanor for those actions, Biernat said, explaining that the state would not seek to violate Rhodes’ bail bond in the matter because the carjacking happened the same day.
Police arrested Rhodes and the juveniles at the school on Wednesday to face the carjacking and robbery allegations.
An assistant public defender said Rhodes is a high school junior with no criminal background.
Judge William Fahy set bail at $25,000. Rhodes must post 10% of that to go home. She’ll be on a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew when she gets out, Fahy said.