Prosecutors: DeKalb couple stole jewelry from Elgin woman

A DeKalb couple face residential burglary charges after authorities say they stole $5,000 worth of jewelry from a female tenant in the Elgin building where they were staying last weekend.

Corina Mendenhall, of the 1000 block of Locust St., was ordered held on $150,000 bail. Her co-defendant, Juan Juarez, of the same address, was ordered held on $40,000 bail.

If convicted, Juarez faces up to 15 years in prison. Mendenhall's background, which includes eight felony convictions, means she could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the felony, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Gbenga Longe.

A female resident of the apartment left her home Saturday and returned Sunday to find her bedroom, whose door she had locked, in disarray and her jewelry missing, Longe said.

She reported the theft to police who found some of the jewelry in a bedroom in a basement apartment, where Mendenhall, 39, and Juarez, 27, were staying as guests of the basement apartment tenant, Longe said.

Longe said police also recovered some of the missing jewelry from Juarez's pocket.

Juarez is on supervision for a 2015 disorderly conduct conviction. He also has a misdemeanor conviction for leaving the scene of an accident from 2009, Longe said.

Mendenhall's criminal background includes convictions for retail theft in 2012, 2010 and 2009 and a 1999 conviction for residential burglary, Longe said.

The defendants next appear in court on April 27.