CHICAGO — A 49-year-old man was arrested after allegedly stealing a marked Chicago Fire Department battalion chief’s SUV from a Streeterville firehouse and taking it on a joyride to Edgewater — then failing to show up for his scheduled court hearing, officials say.
Marked Fire Department SUV Stolen From Station 98
The theft occurred around 8:20 a.m. on April 1, when the chief of Battalion 1 parked the department SUV in front of Station 98 at 202 E. Chicago Ave. Within minutes, the vehicle was missing.
Using GPS tracking, authorities quickly located the SUV in Edgewater, near Glenwood and Farwell avenues. The battalion chief himself reportedly spotted the vehicle parked on the 1400 block of West Lunt — and found the suspect, Aaron Johnson, behind the wheel.
According to police, Johnson willingly handed over the keys when asked and admitted to “having fun” with the vehicle.
Surveillance Footage Confirmed Suspect
Chicago Police Department surveillance footage reviewed by officers captured a man matching Johnson’s appearance entering the SUV at the firehouse and driving away. He was taken into custody shortly after the vehicle was recovered.
Johnson was released later that same evening due to provisions in the SAFE-T Act, which classifies possession of a stolen motor vehicle as a non-detainable felony. He was instructed to appear in court on April 8 — but failed to do so.
Missed Court Appearance Leads to Arrest Warrant
Following his failure to appear, a judge issued an arrest warrant for Johnson. He was re-arrested recently and again released pending trial.
This isn’t the first time someone has stolen a vehicle from the Chicago Fire Department. In 2022, a Chicago attorney made headlines after stealing an ambulance from a Chinatown firehouse, leading police on a 75-mile pursuit to Dwight, Illinois. That individual later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge.
CTA and Emergency Services Vulnerabilities
The SUV theft raises broader concerns about access to public safety vehicles and potential lapses in security protocols at firehouses located in high-traffic downtown areas like the Magnificent Mile.
CPD’s statement on the case highlighted the need for continued vigilance around municipal vehicle access and monitoring, especially in locations that are frequently unmanned during emergency response deployments.
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