(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Three southwest suburban men are charged with stealing cargo containers full of merchandise from several suburban rail yards — the latest effort by authorities to crack down on organized retail theft.
Baraa Abuowda of Orland Park; Sammih Kasem of Orland Hills and Imad Qendah of Burbank allegedly stole shipping containers and took them to a south suburban business. All face felony theft charges, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said Thursday.
Investigators were able to use GPS devices in the containers to track the stolen goods to Bridgeview, Raoul said. The men stole $300,000 in retail cargo, including more than 200 televisions, authorities said.
He said local and railroad police teamed up on the investigation while working with the Organized Retail Crime Task Force. The group previously has investigated organized smash-and-grab burglaries at high end retail stores.
“Organized retail crime is not limited to occurring at brick-and-mortar retailers and can instead take place anywhere along the supply chain,” Raoul said in a prepared statement. “The Organized Retail Crime Task Force allows investigators and prosecutors in my office to better collaborate with our law enforcement partners and retailers to protect consumers and combat the rise in retail crime.”
All three defendants have pleaded not guilty.
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