Crime & Safety

Teens Sold Stolen Jewelry to Joliet Stores, Police Say

The pair face felony theft charges in connection with the sold items, which reportedly were stolen in home burglaries and from family members.

Two Plainfield teens have been arrested for selling jewelry stolen in home burglaries and from family members, a Will County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman said.

Joshua T. Hamad, 17, 21865 W. Juneau Court, and David Anthony Chavez Jr., 19, 14265 S. Napa Circle, have been charged with felony theft for selling stolen jewelry to a Rogers & Hollands store and a gold kiosk inside the Westfield Louis Joliet Mall in Joliet.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said she anticipated there could be more charges and more arrests stemming from theft and sale of the stolen jewelry. The investigation is ongoing, she said.

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However, what is known is that Hamad and Chavez made in excess of $300 by allegedly selling stolen items, sometimes using friends to drive them to the mall or having them present their IDs as the sellers, Hoffmeyer said.

The teens sold jewelry twice in June and twice in July, she said.

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Sheriff's detectives made the connection after investigating home burglaries in unincorporated Will County and then tracing the stolen items to the stores at which they were sold, she said.

Unfortunately, although the stores had taken photographs of the items and had the identification of the people from whom they purchased them, the jewelry had already been shipped out and melted down, she said.

Bond was set at $25,000 for Chavez, who was being held in the Will County jail as of Thursday night. Hamad was released on $300,000 bond -- $30,000 bail -- on Thursday, according to jail records.


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