Two Ohio men charged in $137K jewelry theft from Lombard store
LOMBARD, Ill. - Two out-of-state men are facing a slew of charges after stealing over $137K worth of merchandise from a suburban jewelry store, officials said.
What we know:
Julius Alls, 51, and Demondre Butler, 28, both of Columbus, Ohio, appeared in court Friday morning.
Both men were charged with one count of theft - $100,000–$500,000 (Class 1 felony), one count of burglary (Class 2 felony), and one count of possession of burglary tools (Class 4 felony), according to the DuPage County state's attorney.
"If the General Assembly intended burglaries and thefts from jewelry stores of this nature and value to be detainable, they would have stated so," the judge said.
(From left) Julius Alls, 51 and Demondre Butler, 28. (DuPage County State's Attorney )
What Happened :
The incident happened just before 9 p.m. on Feb. 13 at Rogers & Holland Jewelers at 203 Yorktown Mall in Lombard.
Lombard police were dispatched after receiving a tip that two people, later identified as Alls and Butler, were inside the store two hours after closing.
Investigators said the men used a crowbar to open a security gate. Once inside, they allegedly stole more than $137,000 worth of merchandise from display cases.
Authorities said Alls noticed a security officer during the theft and yelled, "We gotta go!" before both men fled in a silver Volvo.
The vehicle was later found near Highland Avenue and Roosevelt Road with a towel covering the license plate, prosecutors said.
Officers stopped the car and took both men into custody. Police said they also found a crowbar in the backseat and a bag of jewelry about 200 feet from the vehicle.
What they're saying:
"As I have said before, burglary and retail theft are not victimless crimes," DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said. "Shoppers, employers, employees, business owners and entire communities ultimately bear the cost in the form of higher prices, lost revenue and wages, reduced local economic investment and a lost sense of security. I thank the Lombard Police Department for their work on this case and for their ongoing efforts in keeping our retail establishments safe for employees and patrons. I also thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Sean Kinsella and Michael Pingaj for their work in securing charges against Mr. Alls and Mr. Butler."
"I would like to recognize our patrol officers and detectives for some fantastic professional police work that led to the apprehension of the individuals involved and the recovery of the property stolen in this incident," Lombard Deputy Chief of Police Joe Grage said. "I would also like to thank DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his office for their assistance in securing appropriate charges."
What's next:
Alls and Butler were denied pretrial detention and scheduled to appear in court again on March 10.