Above / PN file photos are used to help flag stories related to Naperville Police and Fire Department responses to investigations and emergency calls, always reminding readers that keeping the community safe is everyone’s responsibility. Thanks always for calling 911 whenever necessary to report an accident or what seems suspicious or unsafe. Be alert by day and by night. Stay safe. (PN File Photo)
City of Naperville Police Report
On Tues., Feb. 2, 2026, Naperville Police arrested a 19-year-old Naperville man allegedly in possession of a vehicle that had been reported stolen the previous day.
On the morning of Sun., Feb. 1, Naperville Police were dispatched to the 900 block of N. Brainard Street for reports that several vehicles on the block had been burglarized overnight and that one, a 2007 Honda Civic, had been stolen. At approximately 2:30PM on Mon., Feb. 2, the stolen vehicle was detected by license plate reader technology and followed into the Naperville area by an Illinois State Police trooper. When Naperville Police arrived in the area, the driver stopped the vehicle in the 800 block of N. Brainard Street and fled on foot.
Following a short foot pursuit, officers took the suspect into custody. He is identified as Ethan M. Christiansen, 19, of the 2300 block of Keim Road in Naperville. While being placed under arrest, Christensen allegedly resisted and battered an officer. While conducting the subsequent investigation, officers allegedly discovered a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine in his possession and pills that tested positive for methamphetamine in the area Christensen had fled.
Christiansen is charged with the following offenses:
- 1 count Aggravated Battery (class 2 felony)
- 1 count Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle (class 2 felony)
- 1 count Possession of Methamphetamine (class 3 felony)
- 1 count Resisting Arrest (class 4 felony)
- 1 count Possession of Controlled Substance (cocaine, class 4 felony)
Police continue to investigate the motor vehicle burglaries.
“This arrest highlights the effectiveness of strong partnerships and technology in keeping our community safe,” said Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres. “I commend the Illinois State Police and our officers for their quick coordination and professionalism, particularly during a situation that escalated and resulted in an officer being battered. We take crimes involving stolen vehicles, drug possession, and violence against officers very seriously, and we will continue working diligently to hold offenders accountable.”
The Naperville Police wish to remind the public and the news media that a charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Report submitted by Naperville Police Department / Public Information Office
