News/Commentary

Illegal aliens allegedly part of ongoing burglary ring in suburban Chicago

January 23, 2024 | | Print Article

A Chicago suburb is being hit by a string of retail thefts and burglaries allegedly led by illegal immigrants who have formed a crime ring targeting businesses… in particular Macy’s.

The crime spree is ongoing in Oak Brook, according to Chief of Police Brian Strockis, who spoke with Fox News. Police have arrested 47 illegal immigrants since October. The suspects are thought to be part of a much larger theft ring.

Many of the thefts have occurred at Macy’s in an Oak Brook mall.

“On Jan. 13, Jaime Ubaldo Obando-Andrade, 32, allegedly tried on a $395 jacket at the department store and walked out without paying for it, according to a news release from DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin’s office,” the New York Post reported.

(Video Credit: FOX 32 Chicago)

“Police found approximately $3,000 worth of suspected stolen goods in Obando-Andrade’s car, as well as rolls of tin foil and a fake driver’s license, they said,” the media outlet noted.

Authorities claim that the alleged thieves cleverly line bags with tinfoil to bypass theft detection devices.

“Officers also found an I.C.E. electronic monitoring device that Obando-Andrade allegedly cut off, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office. Obando-Andrade was denied pre-trial release,” the New York Post added.

“These retail crimes involving migrant offenders are part of a bigger criminal enterprise and we are working closely with our federal partners to thoroughly investigate these cases,” Strockis asserted in the release.

Many of the suspects appear to have come to Chicago from Venezuela or Ecuador. They reportedly wasted no time after arriving and went right to work stealing items for the ring.

“In October, Venezuelan migrants Luis Mendez-Gomez, 28, and Frank Montez-Davila, 23, were arrested after they allegedly stole nearly $3,000 in high-end cosmetics from Macy’s and [were] granted pre-trial release,” the New York Post wrote.

“A week before that, another pair of Venezuelan migrants were arrested and charged with burglary and retail theft after they separately stole clothes from the store, authorities said,” the media outlet continued.

“We want everyone to be aware of the increase in criminal activity from the migrant community coming from Chicago,” Oak Brook Deputy Chief of Police Reid Foltyniewicz warned according to the New York Post.

Chicago is as deep blue as it gets for a sanctuary city. Democratic leadership there has gone out of its way to block federal authorities from investigating crimes by illegal immigrants. Police are prevented from asking about a person’s citizenship status as well. The city has received approximately 34,000 migrants since 2022 and crime stats have jumped in tandem.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who is a Democrat, is now begging the feds to help get illegal immigration under control at the border.

“Without real, significant investment from our federal government, it won’t just be the city of Chicago that won’t be able to maintain this mission,” Johnson told CNN in an interview. “It’s the entire country that is now at stake.”

Someone is capitalizing on illegal immigrants in need and is recruiting them into the theft ring by offering them money to steal.

“Twenty-one people were charged with stealing merchandise from DuPage County stores just in the first two weeks of 2024 alone, according to Berlin’s office,” the New York Post reported.

Berlin says that under the SAFETY Act, most of these offenders are being released, according to FOX 32 Chicago.

No doubt, many of them will go right back to the theft ring because they need the money and the crime wave will continue.

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