Couple charged with stealing from Macy's in Oak Brook

A couple has been charged with stealing more than $950 worth of merchandise from the Macy's store in the Oakbrook Center mall.

Angelo Almaraz, 26, of Chicago, and his partner Thalia Morales, 32, of Hammond, Indiana, face one felony count of burglary and one felony count of retail theft.

DuPage County prosecutors argued to have the pair held in jail while awaiting trial. At a hearing Tuesday, Judge Joshua Dieden denied the request.

Prosecutors alleged two people, later identified as Almaraz and Morales, went into Macy's with four children. Three of the children belong to Almaraz and Morales.

According to the DuPage County state's attorney's office, the group went to the children's section, and the two eldest children began selecting items and handing them to Almaraz and Morales, who then placed the items in Nordstrom Rack bags they brought with them.

When the group neared an exit, a loss prevention officer approached them, and they ran to their car with the merchandise still in the bag and fled the area, prosecutors said.

An Oak Brook police officer pulled over their vehicle as it was attempting to turn onto Route 83. The bag with roughly $962 in stolen merchandise was in the vehicle, authorities said.

The couple was then taken into custody. They're due in court Dec. 26.