Crime & Safety

Couple Nabbed in Plainfield Liquor Store Burglary: Police

A Joliet man and Romeoville woman teamed up for the Thanksgiving morning theft, police said.

A man and his girlfriend are facing felony charges after allegedly partnering to burglarize a Plainfield liquor store in the wee hours of Thanksgiving Day, police said.


Matthew R. Mulka, 30, of the 300 block of Woodside, Joliet, remained in jail Monday in lieu of $25,000 bail on charges of burglary, possession of burglary tools, knowingly damaging property and resisting an officer, according to jail records.

His girlfriend and alleged getaway driver, 33-year-old Erica L. Schillaci of the 500 block of Kensington in Romeoville, is also charged with burglary, police said.

Sgt. Mike Fisher said a Plainfield officer was driving past the Discount Liquors, 23145 Lincoln Highway in the Lily Cache Plaza, when he saw Mulka exiting the store at about 3:19 a.m.

Mulka is accused of smashing the glass door of the liquor store and stealing mainly cigarettes and some cash, Fisher said.

After a short foot chase, the officer caught up with Mulka near an auto body shop across the street from the liquor store. He was taken into custody after a brief struggle, Fisher said.

While apprehending Mulka, the officer noticed headlights turn on before a car peeled out of the liquor store parking lot. A backup officer made a traffic stop and arrested Schillaci, Fisher said.

Schillaci is also being held on $25,000 bail. Both she and Mulka were due in Will County court Monday afternoon.

Police report information is provided by local police departments. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.

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