Cook County, IL – Two men were arrested after allegedly stealing boxes of vodka from a cargo container in a Chicago railyard, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities said the incident occurred around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27, near 63rd Street and Michigan Avenue. Railroad staff notified deputies after spotting two individuals slip under a fence, break into a shipping container, and take three boxes of Tito’s vodka before attempting to flee. Both men were taken into custody nearby.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the suspects were identified as Angel Villegas-Mendez, 30, of the 6100 block of South Martin Luther King Drive, and Erik Salcedo-Circa, 34, of the 0–100 block of East Jackson Boulevard, both of Chicago. They were charged with burglary, misdemeanor counts of damage to railroad property, and criminal trespass.
Villegas-Mendez was already on probation for a prior criminal damage conviction at the time of the arrest, authorities said. He was later released from custody on these charges. Circa was also released but remains in custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections for a separate parole violation.
Officials reminded the public that both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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