Suburban women charged with theft at New Jersey restaurant

Three suburban women arrested Wednesday will be extradited to New Jersey, where they took part in a ruse restaurant robbery, according to Illinois State Police.

Arrested in connection with the Folsom, N.J. incident, were Ljuba Petrov, 42, of Lincolnwood; Biserka Petrov, 32, of Lincolnwood; and Linda Martinov, 56, of Park Ridge, according to a statement from ISP.

A group of suspects entered a Chinese restaurant there on Sept. 27, and the three Illinois women “distracted its owners while accomplices stole the owner’s purse, which contained the cash deposits for the restaurant,” the statement said.

The offenders drove off in two separate vehicles, getting away with about $18,000 in cash, according to police.

New Jersey State Police were able to identify the three Chicago-area women and warrants for their arrests were issued. NJSP then contacted the ISP Ruse Burglary Task Force for help in apprehending them, police said.

On Wednesday, officers from ISP, Lincolnwood and Park Ridge police joined U.S. Marshals in arresting the three without incident, two in Park Ridge and the one in Lincolnwood.

The three were being held in a Chicago Police lockup pending extradition to New Jersey, according to the statement.