A 21 -year-old Chicago woman was ordered held on $50,000 bond Monday after being charged with helping to steal more than $17,000 in merchandise from the Oak Brook Neiman Marcus store Friday.
Toni Collins, 21, of the 100 block of W. 110th Street, Chicago, was charged with burglary, a second class felony, and retail theft, a third class felony, Du Page County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Oak Brook Interim Police Chief John Krull announced Tuesday. Judge Leah Bendik set bond at $50,000 with 10% to apply.
According to a news release, around 2:54 p.m. Feb. 5, Collins, along with several other individuals, entered the store and met up with two males who were already in the store. Law enforcement officials allege Collins and the individuals with whom she entered the store, along with the two males who were previously in the store, then went directly to a coat section of the store. Collins and the others allegedly cut the security wires off numerous Monclear coats and ran toward the store’s exit.
It is also alleged Collins and the other individuals attempted to leave the store, a loss prevention officer knocked the items out of Collins’ hands, including coats and a pair of wire cutters, the release said. Collins was detained at the scene while all the other individuals were able to flee prior to the arrival of the Oak Brook Police Department. Additional coats were found outside the store.
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“Smash and grab thefts involving multiple individuals are not a crime of opportunity,” Berlin said in a statement. “They are well organized by those who resort to violence and sheer numbers to commit their crimes. The allegations that this defendant, along with several others, entered a retail store in the middle of the afternoon intent on stealing merchandise will not be tolerated in DuPage County and will be met with the full force of the law . . . . I commend the loss prevention officer at Neiman Marcus for his outstanding efforts in apprehending and detaining the defendant in this case until the police arrived.”
“This type of activity is reprehensible and places everyone at increased risk,” Krull said.
Collins’ next court appearance is scheduled for March 7, for arraignment in front of Judge Daniel Guerin.