Second Prison Escapee Arrested in Palos Hills (UPDATE)
Kenneth Conley, 38, was arrested by Palos Hills police Friday afternoon. A police officer was injured during the incident and remains hospitalized.
Updated 8:39 p.m.
A Palos Hills police lieutenant remains hospitalized after wrestling with a wanted man who escaped from a downtown Chicago correctional center in December.
Kenneth Conley, 38, was arrested by officers from the Palos Hills Police Department Friday afternoon. Police say Conley was hiding out in the basement of an apartment building at 10279 86th Terrace.
Conley and another man, Joseph "Jose" Banks, 37, are convicted bank robbers who authorities say managed to escape from the Metropolitan Correctional Center on Dec. 18. Banks was arrested Dec. 21 in Chicago by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the Chicago Police Department.
A lieutenant involved in investigating the apartment was injured in a struggle with Conley, police said. The officer is being treated for pulled leg and back muscles at Palos Community Hospital.
FBI agents and deputy U.S. Marshals also were in Palos Hills earlier in the week investigating reports that Conley had been seen there, the Chicago Tribune reports.
The lieutenant, a sergeant and a patrol officer from the department were sent to investigate a report from two maintenance workers for the apartment complex, about a man who was living in the basement, said Palos Hills Deputy Chief James Boie. He declined to give out the names of the officers involved.
While waiting outside the building, the lieutenant spotted an elderly looking man who was walking near the building and caught his attention, Boie said. The suspicious man, who turned out to be Conley, had a beret pulled down over his face and was walking with a cane.
The officer was punched after Conley gave a fake name, Boie said. Conley reportedly struggled during the arrest.
"The lieutenant then went down to the ground, I believe with a pulled hamstring," Boie said. "The suspect then ran eastbound."
Conley was able to run into a nearby building in the same apartment complex, Boie said. The other two officers caught up to Conley as he tried to force his way into an apartment.
Conley was found with what police describe as a “look-a-like” BB gun.
Boie said Conley was arrested in 2004 for resisting arrest and obstructing a police officer after getting pulled over in Palos Hills. He also had a BB gun with in during that incident.
One resident of the Scenic Tree Apartments were Conley was allegedly hiding out said he didn’t realize anyone was down there.
“I was down there about five minutes before the whole thing happened,” said Brian Finley, 41. “I was putting the last load of laundry in.
Conley was turned over to FBI custody after his arrest. Boie said he likely will face charges from Palos Hills police, including battery and resisting arrest.
Patch Stories About the Hunt for the Escaped Convicts:
- FBI: Prison Escapee Caught in Chicago; Cellmate Still at Large
- Fugitive Manhunt: FBI Posts $50K Reward for Info on Convicts
- Landlord: Mother Turned Away Escaped Convict at Front Door
- Scenes From a Manhunt (Photo Gallery)
- Fugitive Search Disrupts Funeral at Nearby Church
- Orland Park Police Investigating False Bank Robbery Report
Lisa Landvogt
5:20 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Dumb and Dumber
Brian James
8:26 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
You would think that "mr. duMas" would have left the area.
Adriana
5:27 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
The helicopters flying over head have become very annoying...Kudos to the Palos Hills police in seeing my tax dollars in action!
STM
5:40 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Looks like Conley outsmarted the police for over two weeks.
Good job Palos Hills police.
WA Mama
6:03 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Great job, Patch! About 5 this evening, WBEZ reported that no one had seen him, and he was probably out of the area. Patch rules!
ac
6:26 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
How stupid is this guy? If your known to have friends in that area why would u still go there?? I would be high tailin it down to sunny mexico..... stuuuupid
Michael Nardoni
6:43 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Kudos to the Palos Hills police dept.
Sara
6:49 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
guess he didn't think enough to not go outside the apartment he was in.
Debbie McDaniel-Bour
7:59 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Maybe he went out for some sheets for his next escape? Great job Palos Police!!
Pauline Stratton
8:08 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
GREAT JOB & CONGRATS TO OUR PALOS HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR A "JOB WELL DONE"
Alderman Pauline Stratton
M M R
8:09 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
Great job Palos Police!!
Mr.Breaking news
8:44 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
I seen the helicopters today but I didn't know that they were looking for someone,I thought they were training but NICE JOB !!!
maria
9:44 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
I love in that building!! Luckily have washed dryer inside my unit. I never caught a glimpse of the guy!!!
Shari
10:03 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013
I hope the maintenance people who called the police get the reward. The staff in that complex is very nice. I talk to them often when I walk our dog.
Henry Mata
3:43 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Wondering if the police will go after someone for helping him hide.
wiild chiild
5:10 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
sad day....... i never wanted to see this day come!!!!
Joel
5:24 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
The escape was awesome. That's all I got to say.
NYC
8:28 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
So now we have acquaintances of criminals living in Palos Hills!?! What is happening with this town!?!
Jill
8:39 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Are you serious NYC? You will NEVER be free of "acquaintances!" LOL
DR- Mokena
8:51 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
How much weight did each guy lose to escape through the 9 inch section broken off in the prison wall to gain exit? That was unreal....
grass is greener
1:35 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
and more importantly how did they lose it?
GIgi
9:04 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Great work Palos Police!
Cheryl Walker
9:52 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Poor guy still has to get sentenced. I imagine the judge won't be very lenient.
I'd be lenient just because it was such an awesome escape. It was the post- escape planning that looks like was lacking.
Denise McKay
10:46 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Great going for Palos! Stupid of Conley! Let's talk about the reward. Are the maintenance workers who alerted the police that someone was sleeping in the basement of a renovated building going to get the reward or the dad of four who punched him in the face as Conley was breaking into his condo going to get the reward? Decisions, decisions!
Richard DeVries
11:09 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
I was just saying how smart this guy was for leaving area. Lol
Sally Ride
11:30 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Nice to know a convicted felon was in the area and the officials did not alert the public.....
Baba Wawa
2:02 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Um, I don't think anyone knew he was in the area. Did you want Conley to call you and say, "Hey, Sal. I'm in the area. Shhhhh. It'll be our secret. <wink wink>"
And since he was caught, alerting the public is a moot point now.
Joseph Marrotta
2:14 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
How ignorant are some of you people? NYC & Sally, Palos Hills remains & continues to be one of the safest cities to live in & raise a family! Do your homework before you embarrass yourself by making ridiculous comments on a public blog. Is it really the City's fault that an escaped fugitive decided to take refuge here? You should be ashamed! Also, use your real name please so we know who to thank for your inaccuracies? Kudos to the Palos Hills PD for a fantastic job in catching this fugitive!
I am and always have been proud to be a resident of this great City!
NYC
6:48 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
First off, I am not ignorant in the least. I attended Quin, Conrady, and Stagg so I know what Palos Hills was and What it is slowly becoming. Even though I am in NY, my retired parents still live there so I like to know what's going on there. Last year their cars were broken into while in the driveway of the house they have lived at for 33 years. They had to file a police report at 6am. I called the police department the same day to ask about the incident and they said that these petty thefts were becoming more and more common in Palos. There was also an attempted abduction on the street right outside the GHPL in 2012. That's just one of the many things that have happened there, so don't tell me what I know and don't know about a city i have lived in for 25 of my 34 years on this planet and visit every few months. Yes Palos is much safer than many places in Illinois, but it's still not as safe as it once was. Oh and my name is Lisa and there are no inaccuracies in what I've said. Thanks!
Cheryl Walker
5:27 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Palos USED to be a very nice place to live and raie a family, but there are just too many foreigners there now. So sad.
Joseph Marrotta
5:51 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Still a phenomenal place to live & raise a family. All of our ancestors were "foreigners" at one time. My wife is a life long resident of Palos Hills & says it's just as beautiful now as it was 40 years ago. It is unfortunate that some feel that diversity is a bad thing. I for one disagree. We have the lowest crime rate & tax rate in most of Cook County not to mention the fact that we have 2 of THE BEST school districts in the State of Illinois. Does this mean nothing? Now that's SAD!
Bob Laird
7:16 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
I have my own biases and prejudices too, but actually we're all foreigners. If your name ain't running buffalo or something like that, you're an alien. not justifying or anything, just sayin.
Joseph Marrotta
8:28 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Lol. All this negative talk & you don't even live here? Ok. Enough said. Goodbye!
Jill
3:17 am on Sunday, January 6, 2013
And I'm in Mokena......Where someone attempted to break into my home AND 10 days later, broke into my car.....right in MY driveway too, NYC! The police's best response was that I should invest in a home security system. At least Palos got off of their duff and DID something - you should be greatful for THAT!
darrick mclaurin
12:05 pm on Sunday, January 6, 2013
If anyone can find an area with absolutely no crime.....then move there. All this talk about Palos being a bad area now..move about 12 miles east, to Chicago, and then telll me something about Palos' crime being bad
Bob Laird
9:36 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
hopefully the officers had a few minutes with him in the backroom of the lockup before the feds took him. just to explain why it's not smart to assault an officer.
Christina
11:09 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
This is ridiculous. The crime did not occur in Palos, the idiot just hid-out there.
Some of our fellow patch readers will take any opportunity to voice their opinions on how the "neighborhood isn't what it used to be" regardless of the story. In this case, that comment was silly and unnecessary.
Thank you Palos Hills Police Department for a job well done and best wishes for a speedy recovery to the lieutenant involved.