On 08/10/2021 at approximately 6:50 pm FHPD officers located a stolen pickup truck on the parking lot of Walgreens, 6505 N Illinois St, Fairview Heights. Officers were aware that the vehicle had been involved in several recent crimes in the area. When Officers attempted to take the driver into custody, he placed the truck in reverse and rammed a squad car nearly striking officers before driving across the ditch. The suspect fled north on N. Illinois at a high rate of speed, ignoring multiple red lights before temporarily making his escape. Although there was damage done to property, thankfully no officers or citizens were injured during this suspect’s reckless escape from the officers.
FHPD investigators and special agents with the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force (MEATTF) began investigating leads to locate the vehicle and identify the driver. Investigators identified the driver as Cameron C Medley, a 29 year old male from Belleville.
In the morning of 08/11/2021 a resident located the stolen truck parked in a wooded area on their property near Pleasant Ridge Park in Fairview Heights. Later in the day, another resident notified the Fairview Heights Police when they spotted a suspicious person emerge from the woods in the same neighborhood.
That resident acted quickly and notified the FHPD who responded to the area. After a brief foot pursuit into the woods with Medley he was safely apprehended by the officers. Medley was interviewed and connected to numerous crimes in the Metro East recently.
On 08/13/2021 the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Medley with:
2 Counts of Aggravated Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (Class 1 Criminal Felony)
Possession of a Stolen Registration (Class 2 Criminal Felony)
Attempted Unlawful Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (Class 3 Criminal Felony)
Criminal Damage to Government Supported Property (Class 3 Criminal Felony)
The Honorable Judge Hitzemann signed the warrant ordering Medley held on $100,000.00 bond.
With the support of MEATTF and local residents, the FHPD was able to apprehend the suspect quickly and bring this matter to a close. The FHPD will always aggressively pursue charges against individuals that threaten the safety of our officers or the public by their actions.
*All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
