COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — A Belmont Cragin teen stole a car Wednesday because "it was too damn cold to wait at the bus stop," prosecutors said.
According to authorities, 18-year-old Eduardo Rivera spotted a 1999 Chevy Suburban parked on the street shortly after he left his home in the 2300 block of North Austin Avenue early Wednesday.
The car was running, the keys were in the ignition, and the driver's side door was unlocked, according to an arrest report.
Police noticed Rivera driving the vehicle shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday when he made a turn without using a signal, court records show. Rivera wasn't wearing a seatbelt, and officers ran the license plate.
That's when police realized the SUV was recently reported stolen, court records show.
Officers stopped Rivera and his two passengers in the 4800 block of West Belmont Avenue, where Rivera reportedly told police he took the SUV because "it was too damn cold to wait at the bus stop," Assistant State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said during a bond hearing Thursday.
According to prosecutors, Rivera has no prior criminal history. He is listed as a high school student in court records.
Rivera now faces a charge of possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan on Thursday said Rivera could be released on his own recognizance while he waits for his trial.
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