Charges against Aurora alderman upgraded

Charges against an Aurora City Council member accused of stealing from a Meijer store in her ward for the second time since 2013 have been upgraded to burglary.

Tenth Ward Alderman Lynne M. Johnson, 51, of the 400 block of Plaza Place, was originally charged with misdemeanor retail theft after a plainclothes employee on Jan. 31 witnessed her take $55.21 worth of various makers, pencils, party favors and ibuprofen, police said.

On Feb. 19, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert B. Berlin's office upgraded the charges to felony burglary, saying she entered the store with the intent to steal.

An employee at Meijer, on the 800 block of North Route 59, told police Johnson put those items in her purse before she paid for other goods. The employee confronted her outside the store and escorted her to the asset protection office without incident, police said.

"It is troubling any time an elected official is accused of wrongdoing," Berlin said in a statement. "Following a thorough review of the facts and circumstances surrounding the allegations, it is my opinion that that the original misdemeanor charges warrant a felony upgrade."

Johnson turned herself in Monday afternoon on the new charges and was released after posting $5,000 as bond.

In August 2013, she was accused of taking $150.24 worth of cosmetics and food from the same store. She pleaded guilty and received supervision.