Chesterton, IL : Chase, manhunt triggered after suspected thieves attempted head-on crash on Wednesday, 4th September 2019

The three Illinois men arrested following Wednesday's police chase and manhunt in Chesterton were suspected in thefts totaling as much as $45,000 and had initially dodged capture by attempting to strike a police car head-on, Valparaiso police said.

The men had traveled from Dolton, Illinois, to Valparaiso "in a stolen vehicle to wreak havoc in and around the Valparaiso community," Valparaiso Police Chief Jeffrey Balon said in a statement requested by The Times.

Police said they were first made aware of "several suspicious incidents" on the city's north side involving the three men and they were observed stealing from multiple vehicles and were involved in stealing a second vehicle from Appletree Lane.Valparaiso police followed documented policies and procedures during the pursuit, Balon said.

"The pursuit was closely monitored by supervisors, to ensure the safety of officers and motorists, and major intersections were closed by back-up officers," he said.

"Motor vehicle pursuits are always dangerous, as the dynamic is constantly changing," Balon said. "Public safety is of the utmost concern to our officers; therefore, the totality of circumstances is always considered and analyzed when determining whether or not to initiate and continue a motor vehicle pursuit."

The men taken into custody were identified by police Thursday morning as Kobe Watson, 22, and Armari Lomax and Chaz Murray, both 19, police said.

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