By Joe Boyle
A police chase in Houston that occurred on Feb. 6 resulted in the arrest of the last suspect of an Oak Lawn home invasion that took place last year.
Working with the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, Houston police and Texas State Troopers located suspect Anthony Mitchell, 31, of Chicago, who is linked to the 2022 home invasion that took place in the 10500 block of South Kenton Avenue.
During that incident, a 71-year-old woman was the victim of a violent encounter when three men forcefully entered her home. One of the men was armed with a handgun, according to Oak Lawn police.
Houston police and the troopers attempted to arrest Mitchell for the home invasion. However, according to police, Mitchell took off in a car and later crashed after a 40-minute pursuit through Houston.
Mitchell was eventually taken into custody and is awaiting a hearing on local charges and extradition back to Illinois.
The FBI Task Force on Jan. 5 had arrested another suspect, Chicago resident Gregory Smith, 31, at his apartment in the city. Smith was charged with the home invasion and 23 additional felonies, including unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, and being a habitual armed offender.
Oak Lawn police officials said they have been working consistently on the case since the home invasion occurred, and they made their first arrest (a 15-year-old juvenile) within weeks of the crime.
Assisting Oak Lawn in the early stages were the Evergreen Park and Midlothian police, the Illinois State Police’s Crime Lab, and the Chicago Police Department.
Investigators conducted dozens of interviews, executed more than 10 search warrants, and utilized multiple modern technologies to gather the evidence needed to make the arrests.
“Our village board and administration are in lock-step when it comes to crimes committed in Oak Lawn, especially violent crime,” said Oak Lawn Mayor Terry Vorderer, a former member of the Oak Lawn Police Department for over 30 years. “We will spare no expense to bring perpetrators to justice.”
Vorderer cited the Oak Lawn’s recent installation of the Flock Security Camera system throughout the village that has led to multiple arrests.
Trustee Ralph Soch (6th), who lives in the area where the home invasion occurred, praised the work done by the Oak Lawn police.
“I said it before, but it bears repeating,” Soch said. “This kind of incident literally hits home for every Oak Lawn resident and business, and the Oak Lawn Police Department is almost without peer when it comes to sending a message to would-be criminals: If you commit crimes in Oak Lawn, you will be brought to justice.”