Jewel Thief Nabbed After Stealing $25K of Merchandise From Orland Park Store: Cops

An Oak Lawn woman allegedly stole $25,000 worth of jewelry from a store in the Orland Square Mall.

Annette Devries, 51, allegedly squirreled away the jewelry over the course of five months. She stole the merchandise from Helzberg Diamonds, according to a police report, which listed her as a former employee of the mall jewelry store.

A Helzberg Diamonds loss prevention manager reportedly contacted the police after discovering “at least 17 very expensive assorted jewelry pieces amounting to about $18,000” were missing.

“Furthermore, the inventory also showed one diamond ring missing from the layaway area valued at $7,000,” police said.

Devries gave at least two items — a Gucci watch and a bracelet — to her husband as gifts, police said. She also allegedly sold a ring to a woman for $1,000.

Despite her generosity to her husband, things with him apparently soured, as she moved out on him and in with a “new boyfriend” on First Street in Lockport, police said.

The husband provided the law with the boyfriend’s address, police said, and they arrested Devries there after finding her sleeping on a couch.

A woman answering the phone at the Lockport residence said she knows Devries but insisted she no longer lives there.

Devries was charged with felony theft.