Woman accused of enlisting daughters’ help stealing merchandise from Yorktown JCPenney: prosecutors

A Naperville woman has been charged with enlisting the help of her two daughters, ages 9 and 15, to steal more than $4,600 worth of merchandise from the Yorktown Center JCPenney department store, prosecutors said.

After her arrest, Ritka Jain, 36, of the 2500 block of Warm Springs Lane, was charged with two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count each of burglary and retail theft, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.

About 1:24 p.m. June 13, Lombard police were dispatched to the JC Penney department store, 175 Yorktown Mall Drive, Lombard, regarding a suspected retail theft.

After an investigation, it is alleged that Jain and her two daughters entered the store. Once inside the store, Jain used her two daughters to help her conceal merchandise in a piece of luggage and inside a baby stroller, according to the release.

In all, the theft allegedly included 207 items of clothing, one pair of shoes, three toys and the piece of luggage totaling $4,607. Jain and her daughters walked past the final point of purchase without paying for the items, authorities said. Jain was released on her own recognizance at the scene.

“The very idea that Ms. Jain enlisted her two young daughters to help her steal more than $4,600 worth of merchandise is extremely disturbing,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “Retail theft, which, according to the National Retail Foundation amounted to nearly $35 billion in losses nationwide in 2022, is not a victimless crime. Losses are ultimately paid for by consumers, employees, business owners, shareholders and entire communities.”

Jain’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 22 for arraignment.