Neikis Yeimily Salazar, 18, (inset left) and Alexander Saul Martinez Lima, 23, (inset right) who are both Venezuelan migrants living near the Chicago Police Department’s 17th District, were arrested for stealing almost $900 worth of merchandise from Hobby Lobby in Deerfield. | Background Photo: Google Street View; Inset: Provided

Two Venezuelan migrants were arrested after they allegedly stole two carts full of over 100 Christmas items, worth almost $900, from a retail store in Deerfield.

Neikis Yeimily Salazar, 18, and Alexander Saul Martinez Lima, 23, who are Venezuelan migrants living near the Chicago Police Department’s 17th District, were charged with one count of felony retail theft.

The Deerfield Police Department responded around 1:25 p.m. on November 16 to the Hobby Lobby, 200 South Waukegan Road in Deerfield, for a report of a retail theft.

The store manager reported the two suspects walked out with shopping carts full of unpaid items, according to a police report.

Officers began searching the area for the male suspect and the female suspect who were reported to be pushing the carts from Hobby Lobby toward Red Roof Inn.

Officers located the subjects and Salazar was found carrying a backpack, which was searched and contained merchandise from the store, the report said.

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Salazar and Martinez Lima no longer had the shopping carts of merchandise with them when officers stopped them in the Centrust Bank parking lot on Waukegan Road near the Interstate 94 Spur, according to the report.

Officers searched the area and located the remaining stolen merchandise in the bushes near the Red Roof Inn.

The recovered property stolen was 104 Christmas items totaling almost $900, the report said.

The store manager positively identified Salazar and Martinez Lima as the suspects.

The two had an infant with them when they entered the store but the infant was eventually handed over to a third unidentified subject before the two left the store, surveillance video showed.

The video also showed the two exiting the store with the stolen merchandise, the report said.

The two were released from custody after being charged and given a court date of December 29.

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