This arrest is merely a charge, and the suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Editor’s note: Seventeen Law Enforcement Agencies were involved in this case: Federal Bureau of Investigation; Whiteside County SWAT Team; Sheriff’s Offices of Henry, Lee, Rock Island, and Whiteside County; Illinois State Police; Police Departments in Albany, Dixon, Erie, Fulton, Geneseo, Morrison, Prophetstown, Rock Falls, Sterling, IL; Port Byron Fire Department and EMS.
2/9/2017 At 4:45 p.m., on [Wednesday,] February 8, 2017, Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call from 1st Trust and Savings Bank in Albany, IL, alerting [the office] of a possible abduction of a customer and her husband.
During the ensuing investigation, Whiteside County Sheriff’s personnel developed information which led to a suspect in this case. The suspect vehicle was located and, while attempting to perform a vehicle stop, it became a high-speed pursuit, which ended in a crash.
The driver, Chad S. Schipper, 40 years old of Geneseo, IL, was arrested. Schipper was transported to a local hospital and is being treated for non-life threatening injuries, which he sustained in the crash.
The victims, Mr. and Mrs. [Larry and Constance] VanOosten of Erie, IL, were located at an address in Geneseo. They were treated and released from a hospital.
This is only the beginning stage of investigation, and law enforcement agencies are still following leads.
2/9/2017 4:45 a.m. The Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce Larry and Constance Van Oosten have been located and are being treated at a local hospital. A suspect has been taken into custody and the entire incident remains under investigation at this time.
2/9/2017 1:25 p.m. Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office is announcing a $1,000,000 warrant was issued today for Chad C. Schipper, 40 years old, of Geneseo, IL. The Whiteside County Warrant was issued for the charges of Home Invasion, Kidnapping, and two counts of Aggravated Kidnapping. Bond is set at $1,000,000. Schipper is in the custody of Whiteside County