Three sought after break-in at Arlington Heights car dealership

Arlington Heights police are trying to identify and locate three people who broke into the Napleton car dealership on Dundee Road early Monday.

The three burglars are seen on security video running into Napleton's Arlington Heights Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM at 1155 W. Dundee Road just after 3 a.m. Monday, police said.

That preceded an interaction with the dealer's private security guard, who told police he suspected the individuals were trying to remove catalytic converters from cars parked on the lot.

Police Cmdr. Peter Milutinovic said Wednesday the security guard, on overnight patrol in the lot, spotted a car driving around with as many as five people inside. Once the three individuals ran out of the office, they got back into the car and drove away, pursued by the security guard onto westbound Dundee, Milutinovic said.

The security guard said he saw someone in the car extend a forearm out of the window, and he heard roughly five gunshots. There were no shell casings found after a search of the area, and there was no video captured of the incident, Milutinovic said.

But he said detectives have "significant" leads in the case, with a known vehicle, license plate and description of the offenders, and are actively working to find them.

No injuries were reported, and so far, no vehicle inventory or other property is missing from the dealership.

Milutinovic said it's becoming more common for car dealerships to bring on private security after hours.

"Throughout the Chicagoland area, there's been a pattern of overnight burglaries from car dealerships where some vehicles have been taken," he said. "It seems dealerships are fortifying their security more and hiring security guards overnight."