Editor’s Note: While national news continues to either ignore skyrocketing retail theft or somehow blame it on climate change, there’s a component of the rise that’s being missed by most, even those in conservative media. The border crisis has been a huge reason for this spike which can be easily seen statistically.
Here’s the latest example of the border crisis hitting stores across America from Discern Reporter generated from corporate media reports:
(Discern Reporter)—Two additional Venezuelan migrants residing in Chicago were arrested on Friday for allegedly stealing merchandise worth hundreds of dollars from a suburban Macy’s, a store that has been a consistent target of retail theft by migrants during this holiday season, authorities reported.
Edys Alberto Herrera-Gotopo, 20, and Johan Gavidia-Rojas, 18, entered the Oak Brook, Illinois store together shortly after 7 p.m., each carrying empty bags, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors revealed that the two men collaborated, with one grabbing clothing items and stuffing them into a bag while the other served as a lookout. The roles were then switched before the duo left the store without paying, leading Oak Brook police to intercept them.
Herrera-Gotopo was taken into custody without incident, but Gavidia-Rojas led officers on a brief foot chase before being apprehended. The men were found in possession of $665 worth of stolen goods.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin emphasized, “The quick apprehension of the defendants in this case sends the message that law enforcement in DuPage County is ready for any would-be shoplifters and if you steal from any of our retail establishments, you will be arrested, charged, and prosecuted.”
Both men, originally from Venezuela and currently residing in Chicago, were charged with one count of retail theft, a felony. They were released after a judge denied the state’s motion to detain them pre-trial, with the condition that they are prohibited from entering the Macy’s in Oak Brook.
The Oak Brook Macy’s has been repeatedly targeted for retail theft, prompting authorities to advise locals and retailers to remain vigilant during the bustling holiday shopping season.
Last month, Oak Brook Deputy Chief of Police Reid Foltyniewicz warned of an increase in criminal activity involving Venezuelan migrants from Chicago after a series of retail thefts.
In recent weeks, at least nine Venezuelan migrants have been arrested for separate retail theft incidents at the Oak Brook Macy’s and a Kohl’s store in nearby Elmhurst.
With over 20,000 migrants pouring into Chicago since August 2022, the city continues to grapple with finding ways to accommodate them during the winter, as concerns over potential costs and risks to neighborhood safety are voiced by local residents.
Independent Journalism Is Dying
Ever since President Trump’s miraculous victory, we’ve heard an incessant drumbeat about how legacy media is dying. This is true. The people have awakened to the reality that they’re being lied to by the self-proclaimed “Arbiters of Truth” for the sake of political expediency, corporate self-protection, and globalist ambitions.
But even as independent journalism rises to fill the void left by legacy media, there is still a huge challenge. Those at the top of independent media like Joe Rogan, Dan Bongino, and Tucker Carlson are thriving and rightly so. They have earned their audience and the financial rewards that come from it. They’ve taken risks and worked hard to get to where they are.
For “the rest of us,” legacy media and their proxies are making it exceptionally difficult to survive, let alone thrive. They still have a stranglehold over the “fact checkers” who have a dramatic impact on readership and viewership. YouTube, Facebook, and Google still stifle us. The freer speech platforms like Rumble and 𝕏 can only reward so many of their popular content creators. For independent journalists on the outside looking in, our only recourse is to rely on affiliates and sponsors.
But even as it seems nearly impossible to make a living, there are blessings that should not be disregarded. By highlighting strong sponsors who share our America First worldview, we have been able to make lifelong connections and even a bit of revenue to help us along. This is why we enjoy symbiotic relationships with companies like MyPillow, Jase Medical, and Promised Grounds. We help them with our recommendations and they reward us with money when our audience buys from them.
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Even our faith-driven precious metals sponsor helps us tremendously while also helping Americans protect their life’s savings. We are blessed to work with them.
Independent media is the future. In many ways, that future is already here. While the phrase, “the more the merrier,” does not apply to this business because there are still some bad actors in the independent media field, there are many great ones that do not get nearly enough attention. We hope to change that one content creator at a time.
Thank you and God Bless,
JD Rucker
