People v. Elmore

The defendants, Shirley and Richard Elmore, were convicted in a jury trial of attempted theft by deception. A two-year probation sentence was imposed upon them and they appealed from the judgments entered upon the jury verdicts. The Appellate Court affirmed the judgments (People v. Elmore, 128 Ill.App.2d 312), and we allowed the petition for leave to appeal.

A fire had occurred in, but did not destroy, the defendants’ home. Certain items of their personal property located therein were damaged or destroyed. They had a home owner’s insurance policy which provided coverage for loss by fire of…