Two more Venezuelan migrants residing in Chicago were allegedly caught stealing hundreds of dollars in merchandise from a suburban Macy’s, adding onto the ongoing plague of retail theft from foreigners pouring into the city.
Edys Alberto Herrera-Gotopo, 20, and Johan Gavidia-Rojas, 18, entered the Oak Brook department store together shortly after 7 p.m. on Friday, the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office said.
More Venezuelan migrants residing in Chicago caught stealing from suburban Macy’s store, authorities say https://t.co/NSKYPLLR5x
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Prosecutors allege that the pair worked together, with one man grabbing items of clothing and stuffing them into an empty bag they had brought, while the other served as lookout before the duo switched roles.
When the suspects allegedly left the store with more than $660 worth of merchandise, they were intercepted by Oak Brook police.
Herrera-Gotopo was taken into custody without incident, but Gavidia-Rojas “attempted to flee on foot but was taken into custody following a brief foot pursuit,” the state’s attorney’s office said.
“The quick apprehension of the defendants in this case sends the message that law enforcement in DuPage County is ready for any would-be shoplifters and if you steal from any of our retail establishments, you will be arrested, charged and prosecuted,” county State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said.
Both men, who are originally from Venezuela but live in Chicago, were charged with felony retail theft.
Herrera-Gotopo and Gavidia-Rojas were both released on the condition that both are prohibited from entering that particular Macy’s until the cases are settled.
Oak Brook Deputy Chief of Police Reid Foltyniewicz thanked Berlin for prosecuting the alleged crime and committed to taking down more suspected criminals coming into the Chicago suburb.
“We are relentless in our mission to arrest all offenders entering Oak Brook. Our community supports us 100%, and we will continue to spread the word to criminals to stay out of DuPage County, especially Oak Brook.”
Last month, Foltyniewicz warned locals of a spike in criminal activity from migrants following a streak of retail thefts involving Venezuelan migrants, Fox News reported.
Several more Venezuelan border-crossers have been arrested in separate retail theft incidents at the Oak Brook Macy’s and other Chicago-area stores in recent weeks, Breitbart News reported.
The sanctuary city has seen over 22,000 migrants arrive since August 2022, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
Theft is not the only crime statistic being impacted by the uptick in foreign nationals as a Honduran migrant was arrested after allegedly beating his wife and children whom he recently crossed the southern border with in Waukegan, another Chicago suburb.
