DNA leads police to man now charged with Wilmette auto theft

Marcellius Burnett has been charged with felony unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, felony aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer and felony unlawful possession of weapon (Wilmette Police Department photo)

5:53 p.m. CDT, September 17, 2013

DNA recovered from a stolen vehicle led Wilmette detectives to a Chicago man who has been charged with multiple felonies in connection with an auto burglary, auto theft and fleeing police in July, police said today.

Marcellius Burnett, 28, was charged on Monday with felony unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, felony aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer, felony unlawful possession of weapon and one count of issuance of warrant in connection with the July 25 crime, and police pursuit, police said.

Police said that on July 25, while driving a stolen vehicle in Wilmette, Burnett took off when police tried to stop the vehicle he was driving. After a short pursuit, Burnett bailed out of the car in the 400 block of Central Avenue while it was still moving, causing the vehicle to crash into an unoccupied parked car in the same block, authorities said.

Burnett fled through yards and was not captured, police said. He was later identified through a cell phone that was recovered at the scene and DNA that was recovered from the stolen vehicle, police said.

At the time of his arrest, Burnett, a paroled felon, was in unlawful possession of a stun gun, police said. Following Monday's arrest, the Illinois Department of Corrections issued a no bond warrant for violation of parole. Burnett was on parole from Wisconsin for a felony conviction of operating a motor vehicle without the owners consent, police said.

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DNA leads police to man now charged with Wilmette auto theft