Men Steal $137K In Jewelry From Yorktown Store, Flee On Foot: Cops

LOMBARD, IL — Two men face felony charges after police say they stole more than $137,000 from the Rogers & Hollands store in Lombard's Yorktown Center on the day before Valentine's Day.

Demondre Butler, 28, and Julius Allis, 51, both of Ohio, were charged with theft, burglary and possession of burglary tools in connection with the incident.

Police were called to the store just before 9 p.m. on Feb. 13 after two people were seen inside two hours after it closed. According to prosecutors, Butler and Allis pried open the store's gate with a crowbar to gain entry.

The pair is accused of stealing $137,205.45 in jewelry during the burglary before a security guard spotted them, which prompted them to flee on foot. They later got into a silver Volvo, police say.

The car was pulled over near the intersection of Highland and Roosevelt, where Butler and Allis were taken into custody. Police say they found a crowbar inside the vehicle and a bag of jewelry roughly 200 feet from the car.

"As I have said before, burglary and retail theft are not victimless crimes,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.

Berlin added, “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."

Butler and Allis were not detained and are set to appear in court on March 10.