Chicago suburbs have been hit by a recent spate of crimes committed by immigrants living in or near the Windy City.
A total of 47 immigrants were arrested in Oak Brook, Illinois, between Oct. 23 and Jan. 17, most on property crime charges, according to Oak Brook Police Chief Brian Strockis. .
Strokis told Fox News Digital that most of the immigrants arrested were charged with retail theft and robbery.
The latest case involves an Ecuadorian immigrant living in Chicago who allegedly stole $3,000 worth of merchandise from a retail store and evaded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) supervision by disconnecting his electronic monitoring device. has been accused.
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A total of 47 immigrants were arrested on criminal charges in Oak Brook, Illinois, between Oct. 23 and Jan. 17, according to Oak Brook Police Chief Brian Strockis. (Getty Images | DuPage County State's Attorney)
On January 13, Oak Brook police officers responded to a report of retail theft from a local Macy's store. Upon arrival, officers investigated what happened and discovered that 32-year-old Jaime Ubaldo Obando Andrade entered the store, wore a jacket valued at approximately $395, and left without paying. discovered.
After searching Obando Andrade's car, officers “found approximately $3,000 worth of suspected stolen merchandise and a roll of aluminum foil,” according to a press release from DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin's office. That's what it means.
Additionally, the Berlin office noted that officers found an ICE surveillance device that Obando Andrade “allegedly severed,” as well as a fake Washington driver's license with a photo of him under a different name. did.
“It's very simple. If you steal in DuPage County, you will be arrested, charged and prosecuted.”
Obando-Andrade, who made his first court appearance Sunday, was charged with one count of robbery, a second-degree felony; One count of theft at a retail store, a third-degree felony. Earlier this week, it was announced that Judge Michael Burton had granted the state's motion to deny the defendant pretrial release. Obando-Andrade is scheduled to return to court next month.
“This was a great example of solid police work and looking beyond the initial incident,” Strockis said of the Obando-Andrade case. “These retail crimes involving immigrant criminals are part of a larger criminal enterprise, and we are working closely with our federal partners to thoroughly investigate these incidents.”
Jaime Ubaldo Obando-Andrade, an Ecuadorian immigrant living in Chicago, is accused of stealing $3,000 worth of merchandise from a retail store and evading Immigration and Customs Enforcement supervision by disconnecting an electronic monitoring device. ing. (DuPage County State's Attorney)
The mayor of Berlin praised those who arrested Ovando-Andrade and vowed to continue their efforts to protect Oak Brook businesses, saying, “Contrary to popular belief, retail theft “It's not a crime that doesn't exist; it has a far-reaching impact on the entire community.”
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“It's very simple: If you steal in DuPage County, you will be arrested, charged and prosecuted,” he added.
Obando-Andrade's arrest came after several other immigrants were accused of involvement in various crimes in suburban Chicago.
Last October, two Venezuelan immigrants, 28-year-old Luis Mendez-Gomez and 23-year-old Frank Montes-Davila, were arrested on suspicion of stealing nearly $3,000 in luxury cosmetics from a Macy's store in Oak Brook.
Two Venezuelan immigrants, 28-year-old Luis Mendez-Gomez and 23-year-old Frank Montez-Davila, were arrested in October on suspicion of stealing nearly $3,000 in luxury cosmetics from a Macy's store in Oak Brook. (DuPage County State's Attorney)
The two immigrants entered the store and filled their bags with 16 bottles of luxury fragrance and a pair of pants, totaling $2,832.50. The two, who are said to now live in Chicago, were observed by Oak Brook patrol officers and later taken into custody during a traffic stop on Oct. 31.
Both men, who were charged with robbery and retail theft after their arrest, were released on pretrial release after a judge denied the state's motion to keep them in custody.
Oak Brook Police Deputy Chief Reed Foltyniewicz said, “We remain steadfast in our efforts to combat retail organized crime in the relentless protection of our communities. I want it to be recognized.” time.
A week before Méndez-Gomez and Montes-Davila were arrested, another pair of Venezuelan immigrants were arrested for separately stealing clothing from Macy's stores and later charged with robbery and retail theft. .
The October 23 incident involved Abel Barrios-Estaba and Rafael Mata-Torres. Barrios Estaba, According to Fox 32was arrested after a foot pursuit, while Mata-Torres was taken into custody by store loss prevention personnel and Oak Brook police officers.
The October 23 incident involved Abel Barrios-Estaba (left) and Rafael Mata-Torres. (DuPage County State's Attorney)
Both people were ordered not to enter. Another Macy's storewas later released from custody and was fitted with an electronic monitoring device as a condition of his detention, the paper noted.
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Despite the recent spate of immigration arrests, Strockis told Fox News Digital he doesn't believe retail stores in the area are being “targeted any more than any other location.”
“We have motivated staff who are determined to keep our communities safe, and our relationships with local loss prevention officers are stronger than ever,” he said. “We are grateful for the hard work of our police officers every day. This police department is very proactive and technology-driven. As a result of that policing philosophy, we have made many arrests, recovered stolen property, and Oak Brook is a very safe place to live, shop, eat, and play, and we intend to keep it that way. . ”
Spokespeople for the Department of Homeland Security and ICE asked for comment about efforts to protect retailers and small businesses from immigrant theft, as well as descriptions of immigrants who are currently living in the U.S., Fox News Digital did not immediately respond to a request for comment. monitoring equipment.
Several American cities are being forced to respond to the effects of a nationwide immigration crisis as thousands of migrants arrive at the southern border every day.
Texas began airlifting migrants to sanctuary cities in December, with the first flight arriving in Chicago. Fox was told at the time that the first flight left El Paso on Dec. 20 with 120 migrants and arrived at Chicago's O'Hare Airport later that day. An official with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's office told Fox that all immigrants signed voluntary waivers, just as they would to board a bus.
A group of migrants receives food outside the Immigration Landing Zone during a winter storm in Chicago on January 12. (Kamil Krzazinski/AFP via Getty Images)
The decision was made in part in response to the city of Chicago blocking buses heading to sanctuary cities. The city filed a lawsuit against the company transporting the migrants.
Since the city began collecting data, nearly 34,000 immigrants have arrived in the sanctuary city, and more than $156 million has been spent on housing and care since October 2022, according to the city. That's what it means.
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During his candidacy last year, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson immigrants coming to the city.
“Chicago is sanctuary city. Therefore, we will always resist attempts to pit our communities against each other, and we will continue to uphold the promise of this sanctuary by ensuring that long-time residents and newcomers alike need protection in our cities. It must be extended to everyone,” his website states.
Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan, Adam Shaw and Elizabeth Heckman contributed to this report.
