Two men charged with stealing $2,800 worth of merchandise from Oak Brook Macy’s

Charges were filed Nov. 1 against two men for allegedly stealing more than $2,800 worth of merchandise from the Oak Brook Macy’s store, authorities said.

Luis Mendez-Gomez, 28, and Frank Montez-Davila, 23, both of Venezuela and currently staying in Chicago, appeared at First Appearance Court where Judge Joshua Dieden denied the state’s motion to deny pre-trial release for both defendants, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news releases.

Both defendants are charged with one count of burglary and one count of retail theft. Additionally, Mendez-Gomez was cited for misdemeanor driving without a valid driver’s license, according to the release.

About 1:42 p.m. Oct. 31, Oak Brook police were on patrol at the Oak Brook Center parking lot when they allegedly observed suspicious behavior by two individuals, later identified as Mendez-Gomez and Montez-Davila, as they exited the Macy’s store carrying a “happy birthday” bag and a backpack containing merchandise.

The pair allegedly entered a car and left the area. A short time later, police conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle during which officers allegedly found 16 high-end fragrances and one pair of pants with a total approximate value of $2,832.

Following an investigation into the matter, it is alleged that Mendez-Gomez and Montes-Davila entered the Macy’s store together. Once inside the store, Mendez-Gomez removed the “happy birthday” bag and backpack from under his shirt. The pair then allegedly filled the bag and backpack with the fragrances and pants and then exited the store without paying for the items, according to the release.

“With the holiday shopping season fast approaching, I want to assure the public that in DuPage County we are 100% committed to protecting our retail establishments, their employees and patrons, and anyone accused of robbing, burglarizing or shoplifting from any DuPage County business will be apprehended, charged and prosecuted,” DuPage County State’s Attorney State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “According to the National Retail Federation, from 2021 to 2022, retail theft nationwide increased by about $16 billion to more than $112 billion. These losses not only cause significant financial hardship to businesses and their employees, but also result in higher prices for shoppers and loss of tax revenue for the entire community.”