Pair of suspects arrested for connection to retail theft ring
Police have arrested two people in connection with a large organized retail theft ring that has plagued several businesses throughout Los Angeles County in recent weeks.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the suspects, a man and a woman in their 40s, were arrested after an investigation revealed they were part of a theft ring that involved nearly $200,000 worth of stolen goods. The investigation consisted of members from CHP and Los Angeles Police Department as part of the newly formed Los Angeles Organized Retail Crime Task Force.
The arrests were made on Tuesday, when investigators targeted an undisclosed "fence" location in downtown Los Angeles, where stolen merchandise was being sold.
"A 'fence' is an individual or group of individuals who purchase stolen retail merchandise from those who commit smash-and-grab robberies and organized retail thefts and then sells the stolen merchandise at seemingly legitimate businesses, swap meets or online," the CHP statement said. "The buyers of the stolen merchandise may or may not be aware that the products they are purchasing were stolen as part of an organized retail crime operation."
According to investigators, the fence location was using a makeshift storefront style display to sell the stolen goods. They determined that the items being sold at the store were stolen "with the assistance of retail loss prevention personnel," and that some of the goods had been taken from Victoria's Secret stores and CVS retailers.
"A total of 13,906 stolen items were recovered with an approximate retail loss of $198,00 to the victims," CHP said.
The suspect's identities have not yet been released, but both are reportedly Panorama City residents.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact detectives at (323) 644-9550.
