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Man Charged with Theft for Stealing His Own Car From Police Impound Lot

By Erica Demarest | December 8, 2014 5:37am
 Eric Smith, 23, was charged with felony theft after he drove his car off a police impound lot — without paying any fees.
Eric Smith, 23, was charged with felony theft after he drove his car off a police impound lot — without paying any fees.
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Chicago Police Department

COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Two South Chicago police officers got a surprise last week when they spotted a man driving a car they'd impounded earlier that day.

Eric Smith, 23, had apparently walked onto a police parking lot and driven off with his car without paying impound fees, according to Assistant State's Attorney Erin Antonietti.

Smith's 1996 Chevy Impala was impounded in South Deering on Thursday when officers pulled over Smith and realized he was driving on a revoked license, court records show.

The car was taken to the South Deering police station, 2255 E. 103rd St., and Smith was released, police said.

But around 5:20 p.m., the same officers who stopped Smith earlier saw him driving his car in the 1600 block of East 103rd Street, prosecutors said.

When the officers pulled over Smith, court records show, they learned he had walked into a lot labeled "Police Personnel Only" and taken back his car.

Smith, of the 9100 block of South Ellis Avenue in Burnside, was charged with felony theft and several misdemeanor counts: violating bail bond, driving on a revoked license, criminal trespass and driving an uninsured vehicle. He was also cited for going the wrong way on a one-way street and ignoring a red light.

Judge James Brown on Friday ordered Smith held in lieu of $10,000 bond.

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