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Southwest Side Men Charged With Running Carjacking Scam

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two Southwest Side men are charged this morning with carrying out a series of carjackings.

As WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports, police say James Mitchell, 37, and Arredeus Green, 21, both of the 5700 block of South California Avenue, targeted people who were selling their cars for their scam.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports

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They would contact the sellers, set up a test drive, and rob the sellers of their cars, police said.

The men were caught after police found Green driving a vehicle that had been reported stolen, and pulled him over in the 5700 block of South Washtenaw Avenue. He was arrested and ticketed for driving without a license and insurance around 9:50 p.m. Sunday, police said.

Subsequent investigation linked Mitchell to the carjacking scheme, police said.

Both Green and Mitchell were charged with six counts of aggravated vehicular hijacking, according to police.

Mitchell was also charged with two counts of vehicular hijacking and one count each of armed robbery and theft by deception over $10,000, police said.

Green was also charged with one count of armed robbery and one count of theft by deception over $10,000, police said.

Both were scheduled to appear in bond court Tuesday.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2012. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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