Authorities announced on Thursday that a man and a woman have been apprehended in connection with an ongoing investigation into an organized retail theft ring. The ring was responsible for stealing products worth nearly $200,000, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The arrests were made by the CHP Southern Division Organized Retail Crime Task Force, in collaboration with the newly formed Los Angeles Organized Retail Crime Task Force of the Los Angeles Police Department.
The investigation led the authorities to a retail “fence” location in downtown Los Angeles, where stolen merchandise was being sold. The specific location has not been disclosed.
“A ‘fence’ refers to individuals or a group who purchase stolen retail merchandise from those involved in smash-and-grab robberies and organized retail thefts. They then sell these stolen goods through seemingly legitimate businesses, swap meets, or online platforms,” explained the CHP in a statement.
“The buyers of the stolen merchandise may or may not be aware that they are participating in an organized retail crime operation,” it further added.
The CHP revealed that the targeted fence location was using a makeshift storefront-style setup to sell the stolen merchandise. Through their investigation, they managed to identify that the stolen goods had been taken from Victoria’s Secret and CVS retailers in the greater Los Angeles area. The total number of recovered stolen items amounted to 13,906 with an estimated retail value loss of $198,000 for the victims.
The California Highway Patrol reported the arrest of a 47-year-old man from Los Angeles and a 43-year-old woman from Panorama City. However, their names have not been disclosed at this time.
If anyone has information relating to stolen property crimes, they are urged to contact task force investigators at 323-644-9550.
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