At approximately 4:57 p.m. on February 23, 2022 Clinton Police responded to the report of a vehicle theft at the Anderson Ford dealership located at 1001 W. State Highway 10, Clinton. Initial responding units learned that while dealership personnel were maneuvering vehicles around, a white male suspect jumped into a running and unoccupied Ford Mustang and sped away. While fleeing, the suspect struck the victim/vehicle owner, who sustained nonlife-threatening injury, causing damage to the victim vehicle. The male suspect then fled the scene in the stolen white 2010 Ford Mustang. Attempts to locate the suspect and stolen vehicle were unsuccessful by initial responding police units.

As a result of an area “BOLO” released by Dewitt County CenCom, at approximately 5:18 p.m. the stolen Ford Mustang was observed by Macon County Sheriff’s Deputies traveling on US Highway 51 near Forsyth, IL. Macon County Sheriff’s Deputies were ultimately able to recover the stolen vehicle and took a male suspect, identified as Matthew J. Cole, 26, Clinton, into custody on charges related to his apprehension and the stolen vehicle recovery in Macon County. Those charges, according to the Macon County Sheriff’s Office website, include Possession of a Stolen Firearm, Possession Firearm/No FOID Card, Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Aggravated Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police and Possession of Stolen Vehicle.

The investigation by Clinton Police is ongoing and upon completion, will be forwarded to the Dewitt County State’s Attorney’s Office for review of additional charges in Dewitt County.

No other information is being released at this time. 

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.