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The teen, whose name and charges were not released because of his age, allegedly smashed the window of a Hyundai and cracked open the steering column to hotwire the vehicle, Springfield police said.
Officers patrolling the area of Union Street heard tires screeching just before 3:30 a.m. and saw the stolen car speeding down the road without its headlights on. Police gave chase, and the teen ran red lights on State Street and Chestnut Street before giving up and pulling over near the intersection of Pearl and Mattoon Streets, authorities said.
The passenger in the car jumped out and ran away before police could catch him.
Springfield police asked anyone who owns a Hyundai or Kai to purchase a locking device for their steering wheel to prevent their cars from being stolen. There's a nationwide epidemic of motor vehicle thefts involving these two makes of cars following a social media trend that shows how to easily hotwire these cars.
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