OAK BROOK, IL – A surge in crime, primarily property-related offenses, has been recorded in Oak Brook, a suburb of Chicago, involving migrants residing in or around the city. Between October 23 and January 17, the Oak Brook Police Department arrested 47 migrants, with most charges relating to retail theft and burglary, according to Chief of Police Brian Strockis.
The most recent case involved a migrant from Ecuador living in Chicago, who is accused of stealing merchandise worth over $3,000 from retail stores. Additionally, the individual is alleged to have evaded supervision from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by severing his electronic monitoring device.
On January 13, local law enforcement responded to a theft report from a Macy’s store in Oak Brook. The investigation led to the arrest of 32-year-old Jaime Ubaldo Obando-Andrade, who allegedly stole a jacket worth approximately $395. A subsequent search of Obando-Andrade’s vehicle uncovered suspected stolen goods valued around $3,000, along with rolls of tinfoil, according to a statement from the office of DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin.
Moreover, officers discovered an ICE monitoring device that Obando-Andrade had allegedly removed and a counterfeit Washington driver’s license bearing the defendant’s photograph but a different name. Obando-Andrade, who made his first court appearance on Sunday, faces charges of burglary and retail theft. Judge Michael Burton has denied pre-trial release for the defendant, who is set to return to court next month.
The arrest of Obando-Andrade follows several similar incidents involving migrants in Oak Brook. In October, Venezuelan migrants Luis Mendez-Gomez and Frank Montez-Davila were arrested for allegedly stealing nearly $3,000 worth of high-end cosmetics from the local Macy’s.
Despite the recent wave of arrests involving migrants, Strockis does not believe that retailers in the area are being specifically targeted. He praised his officers’ dedication to maintaining community safety and their strong relationships with local loss prevention agents.