Jewelry Thief Runs From Joliet Police Before Climbing Into Walgreens Garbage Compactor To Hide: Cops

JOLIET, IL — It took three weeks to catch him, but Joliet Police have issued a news release in regard to the capture of 27-year-old Luis Duran-Martinez on charges of residential burglary and two thefts.,

According to police spokesman Dwayne English, at 5:27 p.m. on Sept. 1, officers responded to a residence in the 200 block of Adella Avenue for a burglary. The residence had been burglarized while the occupants were away.

Numerous pieces of jewelry were reportedly stolen, and police believed that the suspect entered the residence through a rear door. Officers canvassed the surrounding area for additional
information, and an evidence technician processed the scene.
During the investigation, police say detectives identified the suspect as Luis Martinez-Duran, 27, of Joliet.

On Sep. 15, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Martinez-Duran. Two days later, just before 1 p.m., police said officers spotted Martinez-Duran driving a vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop near Madison Street and Oneida Street.

English said Martinez-Duran refused to stop and continued driving before entering a parking lot in the 2200 block of Oneida Street. According to police, he then drove across a grassy area and into an adjacent parking lot, where he got out of the vehicle and fled from officers on foot.

As Martinez-Duran fled through several business parking lots along West Jefferson Street, officers saw him carrying a handgun, English revealed.

Police said Martinez-Duran eventually climbed onto a garbage compactor near Walgreens, 2101 W. Jefferson St., where officers took him into custody.

According to English, officers recovered the loaded 9mm handgun near the location of his arrest. During a subsequent search of Martinez-Duran, English added that officers also recovered suspected methamphetamine.

Martinez-Duran was charged with residential burglary and two counts of felony theft pursuant to the arrest warrant stemming from the Sept. 1 residential burglary. He was additionally charged with armed violence, aggravated unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine, fleeing and eluding a peace officer,
obstructing a peace officer and violation of pre-trial release.

Martinez-Duran was processed at the Joliet Police Department and transferred to the Will County Adult Detention Facility.