Overview

• Two Venezuelan immigrants, Edys Alberto Herrera-Gotopo, 20, and Johan Gavidia-Rojas, 18, were arrested for allegedly stealing hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise from a Macy's in Oak Brook, Illinois.
• This incident marks the latest in a string of retail thefts involving Venezuelan immigrants in the area, with at least nine arrests in recent weeks at the same Macy's and a nearby Kohl's store.
• Both men were charged with one count of felony retail theft each but were released after a judge denied the state’s motion to detain them.
• Oak Brook Deputy Chief of Police Reid Foltyniewicz has previously warned citizens of an uptick in retail theft due to the influx of immigrants in the area.
• Over 20,000 immigrants have arrived in Chicago since August 2022, causing concern among local residents about potential risks to neighborhood safety.