Police say that a Cicero woman charged with stealing items off a Riverside front porch may have been selling stolen merchandise out of a consignment shop located in Berwyn.
Celia Arocho, 52, who is being held on $25,000 bond at Cook County Jail, was in court Monday charged with three felonies. In addition to felony theft, Riverside police also charged Arocho with aggravated driving under the influence and aggravated driving while revoked.
Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel said that within the past month his department has received five reports from residents of stolen yard furniture, planters and barbecue equipment. In two instances, victims reported seeing an SUV in the area.
On July 18 around 11 p.m., Riverside police received a 911 call regarding a hit and run accident in the 300 block of Southcote Road. A green SUV had just struck a parked car, the caller said, and fled the scene.
While police were responding to that call, they received word that a woman was seen taking items from the front porch of a home in the 200 block of Herrick Road. The woman was reportedly driving an SUV.
Arriving at Herrick Road, police pulled over the SUV and spoke to the driver, later identified as Arocho. She reportedly appeared intoxicated and failed field sobriety tests at the scene.
Police also discovered that Arocho’s driver’s license had been revoked for a prior DUI conviction.
Inside her vehicle, police said, were planters and other items that belonged in backyards. A resident of Herrick Road reportedly identified items inside the SUV that had been taken off her front porch.
While talking with Arocho, police also learned that she operated a consignment shop called Adriana’s Closet at 7022 W. 16th St. in Berwyn.
Arocho leased the storefront space from Dolejs Property Management beginning in March, according to Efrain Guerrero, manager of the leasing company. The store itself has only been open for a couple of months.
Previously, Arocho did some work as a cleaning lady for the property management company, according to Guerrero.
“I’ve known her for a long time,” Guerrero said. “She’s a hard-working lady. She would clean various buildings the company leases.”
Weitzel said Riverside police received permission to search both the consignment shop and Arocho’s home in the 1300 block of 60th Court in Cicero. At both places, Weitzel said, police found items stolen in Riverside. Accompanying Riverside police on their trip to Arocho’s Cicero home was a Lyons police officer whose mother lives in Riverside.
The officer reportedly identified planters and chairs belonging to his mother at the residence.
Meanwhile, Riverside police reported that Arocho’s blood-alcohol level at the time of her arrest was .143, which is nearly twice the legal limit of .08. Due to the prior DUI conviction and revoked license, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s upgraded the DUI charge to felony status.
