N. Aurora restaurant owners accused of theft

A North Aurora restaurant was closed Tuesday and its owners accused of theft and possession of stolen property after investigators raided the business in search of banking and other records.

Jim P. Karonis Jr., 47, and Denise Fardelos, 52, face one count each of both felony offenses and are scheduled for a court hearing May 29, Kane County court documents show.

Karonis and Fardelos own the Wild Orchard Restaurant, at 459 N. Randall Road, which was closed and the doors sealed shut with crime scene tape. A police officer was posted in the parking lot.

North Aurora police detectives were unavailable for comment on the investigation, which includes police from Bolingbrook in DuPage County.

A copy of the search warrant, taped to a window near the front door, indicated police sought safes and lock boxes, computer hard drives and disks, and any business or financial records.

Clint Hull, Kane County's first assistant state's attorney, acknowledged the charges had been filed but declined to discuss details, citing state law against disclosing information outside open court.

Irwin Frazin, a Chicago attorney who court documents show represents Karonis, was unavailable for comment.

In mid-December, North Aurora hailed the opening of the Wild Orchard, and officials said the establishment boasted a top chef and offered its residents an alternative to chain restaurants.

Karonis, of 3108 S. Route 59 in Naperville, has convictions in DuPage County for forgery, insurance fraud and other felonies linked to restaurants he owned in the suburbs, court records show.

He and Fardelos, of Montgomery, appeared in a Kane County bond court Tuesday, but it was unclear if they had been released or were still in custody, said Sheriff's Lt. Pat Gengler.