DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Wheaton Chief of Police William Murphy announced today that bond has been set for a man charged with forcibly stealing a woman’s car from a Wheaton shopping center.
Demarion Chambers, 22 (d.o.b. 9/12/1996) of Chicago, appeared at a bond hearing this morning where Judge Robert Miller set bond in the amount of $500,000 with 10% to apply.
It is alleged that on Dec. 12, 2018, at approximately 9:07 p.m., Chambers approached an occupied vehicle parked outside the Target store located on County Farm Road in Wheaton. It is alleged that Chambers repeatedly knocked on the window of the car and that the occupant of the car eventually opened the door, at which time Chambers pulled the door open and threatened the occupant, who then left the vehicle. It is alleged that Chambers entered the vehicle and fled the scene. It is further alleged that Chambers then drove to a Thornton’s gas station in West Chicago, where he made two separate purchases using the victim’s credit card. An investigation conducted by the Wheaton Police Department led to Chambers, who was taken into custody from a home in Chicago without incident.
“It is alleged that last night Mr. Chambers threatened a woman’s life before stealing her car,” Berlin said. “According to the FBI, a motor vehicle is stolen in the United States every 44 seconds. That is an alarming statistic. There are precautions you can take, however, to minimize your chances of becoming a victim - be aware of your surroundings, park in a well-lit area and keep your doors locked and windows up. Thankfully, the victim in this case did not resist and was not injured. I would like to thank the Wheaton Police Department for their fine work on this case as well as the Chicago Police Department for their assistance. I would also like to thank Assistant State’s Attorney Mandy Meindl for her efforts.”
“An unrelenting investigation by Wheaton Police Department detectives and our relationships with the Hillside and Chicago Police Departments were integral in the identification and arrest of Mr. Chambers,” Murphy said.
Chambers has been charged with one count of Vehicular Hijacking, a Class 1 Felony, one count of Identity Theft, a Class 3 Felony, and one count of Unlawful Use of a Credit Card, a Class 4 Felony. His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2019, in front of Judge Miller.
Members of the public are reminded that this complaint contains only charges and is not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.