Couple Burglarizes Room, Fences Stolen Property: Cops

A couple is accused of breaking into a locked bedroom and then fencing the stolen items, reports said.

Stephanie Valerio, 25, of Oak Lawn, and her 28-year-old boyfriend Andrew Constanza, of Berwyn, were both booked on charges of residential burglary.

Police responded to a burglary that took place sometime during the afternoon of March 26 in the 9200 block of South Monitor.

The woman told the officers someone stole several pair of Nike gym shoes, an Air Jordan duffle bag and a laptop computer totaling $1,600 from her locked bedroom which she rents from Valerio’s father.

Police said that the lock on the door appeared to have been jimmied. Valerio’s father mentioned that it was possible his daughter and her boyfriend may have broken into the room.

While taking the report, officers received a call of two people trying to sell gym shoes and a computer in front of a tobacco store in the 5700 block of West 95th Street. The officer advised those were same items taken in the burglary.

Police spotted Valerio and Constanza near 95th Street and Central Avenue. The owner of the items was taken to the scene, where she identified the couple. She also identified her stolen property, reports said.

The two were taken into custody and brought to the Oak Lawn police station.

Valerio allegedly admitted she and Constanza went upstairs to the woman’s bedroom to look for bus fare. Police said the couple went into the room and decided to help themselves to the gym shoes and laptop.

According to the report, Valerio and Constanza used the duffle bag to carry the stolen items. Valerio told police that she and Constanza are both heroin addicts and were planning on selling the items to buy more heroin. She claimed the lock on the woman’s door was already broken.

Police said that Constanza also made admissions. Constanza told police that Valerio used a kitchen knife to pry the door open. He said that he and Stephanie went to the tobacco store and Play It Again Sports to sell the items, which they have done in the past.

Both were charged with felony residential burglary on April 18. Bail for Constanza was set at $50,000; Valerio’s bail was set at $25,000.

Constanza and Valerio’s next court hearing is April 22 in Bridgeview.