Four individuals have been charged with a series of thefts at an Oak Brook Sephora store, as announced by DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin and Oak Brook Chief of Police Brian Strockis. Marisol Ocampo and Deysi Villalobos, both from Cook County, and two male juveniles were implicated in the incidents that occurred at the retail location within Oakbrook Center Mall, as reported by DuPage County.
On Sunday, Ocampo and Villalobos, along with two underage boys, allegedly entered the Sephora store and exited with more than $300 worth of unpurchased merchandise, according to the state's attorney's announcement. The next morning, Ocampo was charged with one count of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, two counts of Burglary, and one count of Retail Theft. In contrast, Villalobos faced one count of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, three counts of Burglary, and three counts of Retail Theft. It is also asserted that the two adults directed one of the juveniles to engage in the theft. Accusations have been made that the minors attacked a store employee during the theft and one of the juveniles threatened a police officer during arrest.
The seventeen-year-old and fifteen-year-old boys were charged with Burglary, Aggravated Battery, and Retail Theft. Details provided by the authorities also include an additional count of Threatening a Public Official aimed at the older juvenile. Following the charges, both minors were released and placed under GPS monitoring, a demonstration of the legal system's intricate balance between accountability and the presumption of innocence.
"It is alleged that Ms. Villalobos, Ms. Ocampo and two minor children stole merchandise from a retail store," said Berlin, highlighting the grave nature of the offenses during the bustling holiday season. Chief Strockis also commended the rapid response of local law enforcement in arresting and charging the suspects and warned that Oak Brook would not "stand down when threatened by criminals," a clear message intended to deter potential wrongdoers during a time of heightened commercial activity.
The next court date for the accused adults is January 21, 2025, in front of Judge Brian Telander. The juveniles are set to appear earlier, on January 10, 2025.
