Cops seize pirated DVDs at E. Dundee flea market

"Clash of the Titans" and "How to Train Your Dragon" both finished in the top five over the weekend for movie box office receipts, so it would make sense that they weren't coming out on DVD anytime soon.

That is, unless you went to the flea market at the old Santa's Village property in East Dundee.

Acting on a tip, police arrested three vendors Sunday morning and seized about 3,500 pirated DVDs and 2,000 compact discs.

Many of the DVDs were new releases, such as "Titans," "Dragon," "Alice in Wonderland" and "Hot Tub Time Machine," court documents show.

"We certainly will be giving the flea market some attention to ensure that the activities out there are lawful," East Dundee Police Chief Terry Mee said.

Mee said authorities received a tip last week and worked with a representative of the Motion Picture Association of America, who made several undercover purchases at around 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The DVDs were three for $10, Mee said.

Officers arrested four people about a half-hour later, charging them each with felony unlawful use of recordings and misdemeanor theft.

Those arrested were: Elvira Cash, 44, of the 1800 block of Endicott Circle, Carpentersville; Ulises Correa, 19, of the 2000 block of North Hamilton Avenue, Chicago; Victor R. Melo, 47, of the 100 block of South Mason Street, Chicago; and Marco A. Ordonez, 34, of the 200 block of Windsor Court, South Elgin, authorities said.

Mee said Cash and Correa were working in the same booth. They were being held at the Kane County jail Monday; it was unclear where the other two arrestees were being held.

The felony charges carry up to three years in prison and a $25,000 fine, but probation also is an option.

Bond was set Monday morning at 10 percent of $5,000 for all the defendants except Ordonez, who has a $3,000 bond. All are due in court on April 29.

Mee said no charges have filed in connection with the seized compact discs.