ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – Police find both the van and the body in different Chicago neighborhoods just days after the funeral van carrying a dead man’s body was stolen out of Rockford.
Police tell us they’re still searching for the suspect.
Pastor Everette Harris works at an outreach center across from Collins & Stone Funeral Home. He says he is disgusted someone would steal a funeral van with the body of a loved one inside of it.
“I was shocked that anybody would steal a dead body,” says Harris. “This is the first time I’ve heard of anything like it, and I’m born and raised in Rockford. I’ve been here 55 years, saved the military in college. I’ve been here all my life. First time I’ve ever heard of it.”
The van, a 2012 Chrysler Town and Country was found in the 1400 block of 87th street in Chicago Sunday without the dead man’s body, but Chicago police tell 23 News the body was found Monday afternoon in the Calumet Heights neighborhood on Chicago’s south side.
“I was just like the rear? They done stole a body? But it’s none of my business,” says a Chicago resident who lives near where the body was found.
The Rockford Police Department released pictures of this man who believe they stole the van in Rockford Saturday afternoon. Harris says his cameras didn’t catch the suspect but he will invest in stronger safety measures to help out in the future.
“I think it’s important that as business organizations that we do everything we can to help each other. We’re going to update the cameras either way. So, we can get something with a deeper range for a similar price. Why not?”
And Harris prays someone will do the right thing.
“We were always on the lookout for our neighbors.”
23 News reached out to both the funeral home director and one of the co-owners but didn’t hear back from either of them.
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