|
|
|
Quincy, MA: Man charged under new Retail Crime Law
Prosecutors say a Quincy man may have made Massachusetts criminal law history
when he became one of the first people charged under a new state law
targeting organized retail crime. Prosecutors say Feng Deng, 71, was one of
three people who had been running a storefront business in downtown Boston that
made tens of thousands of dollars reselling variety of products that had been
stolen from other downtown businesses by a ring of shoplifters. Boston police
raided the business, called My-Tan Fashion, on Tuesday and seized more than
5,000 items with an estimated retail value of more than $100,000, according to
the Suffolk County district attorney's office.
Deng and his two alleged accomplices, 49-year-old Cindy Tran of Malden and
54-year-old Phuong Quach of Dorchester, were arraigned on charges of receiving
stolen property worth more than $250, distributing counterfeit goods and the new
charge of leading a retail crime operation, which was created under a state law
passed in April. Boston Municipal Court Judge Michael Coyne ordered all three
defendants to give up their passports and set bail at $500 for Quach and $300
for Feng and Tran.
patriotledger.com
Calgary, CN: Shoplifting can net Calgary criminals up to $15K a day, police say
Calgary police and retailers are joining forces to combat organized retail
crime, that drops tens of thousands of dollars into the drug trade every single
day. "It is a growing problem in Calgary and Canada as a whole, costing Canadian
retailers an estimated $4.6 billion each year," Calgary police Cst. Andrew
Critchley said at a news conference Wednesday. The money goes directly to the
drug trade, Critchley said, and the dollar amounts in Calgary can be massive.
"We have identified people that can steal up to $10,000 to $15,000 a day, six or
seven days a week." The general manager of loss prevention with London Drugs
says higher prices are only one consequence.
cbc.ca
Woodbury, MN: Thieves spray tear gas during $9,000 Twin Cities' Victoria's
Secret theft
Thieves used tear gas to escape a Victoria's Secret store Thanksgiving Day,
forcing an evacuation of the store. Police responded to the Woodbury Lakes
shopping center lingerie store at 9 p.m. after a sales clerk followed two
females who each grabbed a pile of merchandise and ran out of the store. As the
employee followed, she was attacked with what was believed to be pepper spray.
After police testing, the spray was found to be a tear gas compound, according
to Michelle Okada, public information officer for Woodbury Public Safety.
Employees estimated nearly $9,000 of damages, including the merchandise taken
and damage from the spray.
inforum.com
 Lafourche Parish, LA: Deputies arrest one man, search for others
in $6,000 retail theft ring
Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced that they have made an arrest in
an investigation into a suspected retail theft ring. Webre says deputies have
recovered over $6000 in stolen merchandise from several Walmart stores in South
Louisiana. They have also arrested one suspect, Edward Lawson and issued a
warrant for a second suspect, Willie Holmes. According to deputies, they began
an investigation earlier this month into two incidents at the Walmart
Supercenter in Raceland. On, Saturday, November 14, three men were seen leaving
the store with over $800 worth of merchandise without paying for it. Two of the
men seen leaving the store were later identified as Lawson and Holmes. In
another incident on Wednesday, November 18, a male suspect attempted to steal
over $300 worth of merchandise from the store. During the investigation,
deputies learned that a group of individuals, including Lawson and Holmes, had
committed several thefts at Walmart stores across South Louisiana.
ksla.com
Corpus Christi, TX: Three arrested at Academy Sports, hitting store and cars in
the parking lot
Three suspects accused of theft were to taking items from some holiday shopper's
cars, as well as stealing items from a local department store. The two men and a
woman were arrested in the Academy parking lot off of South Padre Island Drive
around 3:15 p.m. According to police, the three are accused of trying to take
items from cars but were caught trying to take two Yeti coolers from the Academy
store. Police say the three were charged with theft and are investigating other
items found outside the store that could have been taken from different
locations.
kiiitv.com
Plainville, MA: Dewalt tool thief may have hit Lowe's in CT, RI, and MA
The Plainville Police Department is investigating a theft at Lowe's that
occurred on October 29th. A male subject entered the store just before 5:30
p.m., filled a cart full of Dewalt Tools, and exited the store without paying
for the items. Several Lowe's in Southern New England have been hit by the same
subjects, in the same vehicle, a light blue/teal colored Chevy Cavalier 4 door.
Stolen plates have been put on the vehicle to deter identification.
Massachusetts plates and Rhode Island plates have been used. Lowe's in Rhode
Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut have all been victims of the thefts,
which range in the thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise being stolen.
Police say the suspects are in and out of the stores in two to three minutes.
turnto10.com
Mesa, AZ: Salt River and Mesa Police target shoplifters on Black Friday
Mesa Police released footage of a woman allegedly stealing over $1,200 in
electronics from a store. Her arrest came as part of the annual Fade to Black
Friday ant-shoplifting effort. Mesa and Salt River police departments joined
forces to help East Valley retailers combat holiday shoplifting during the third
annual operation Fade to Black Friday. Shoplifting harms businesses large and
small, and the cost of the loss is often passed on to consumers, Mesa police Lt.
Scott Martin said. The effort launched last week in preparation for the bustling
Black Friday sales and shopping season. Mesa police said officers involved in
the operation already arrested 35 people for shoplifting and recovered more that
$4,000 in stolen merchandise. Many of the people arrested had prior criminal
history, including theft and drug possession, police said. Last week's
shoplifting arrests included a woman who stole over $1,000 in electronics using
a plastic tub and a man who hid gloves, women's leggings, baby shoes and a book
in his loose-fitting pants, according to police reports.
azcentral.com
Mt Juliet, TN: Undercover cop helps nab Belk shoplifters
Two women were taken into custody Friday morning after an undercover officer
reportedly spotted them shoplifting. According to a release, the undercover
officer spotted Beverly Johnson, 55, and Laquinta Sanders, 28, entering Belk at
Providence Marketplace just before 9 a.m. with a large empty handbag. The
officer alerted the retailer of the suspicious behavior and the two women were
reportedly captured on surveillance video removing a plastic Belk bag from a
purse and allegedly stuffing it with clothing, perfume and jewelry.
wkrn.com
Tilton, NH: Police seek man in $2,500 theft of baby formula
Police said they're looking for a man who stole thousands of dollars of baby
formula from Walmart stores in Laconia and Tilton. The product was stolen during
several trips over the past week, and police said they're using surveillance
photos to try to catch the man. Investigators said the man walked into the
stores, filled carts to the brim and walked out. "Somewhere in the neighborhood
of $2,500 worth of baby formula," Tilton Police Chief Robert Cormier said. "The
suspect took all of the baby formula." Police said surveillance photos show the
face of the man, who could have felony charges.
wmur.com
Johnson City, TN: Woman arrested for Felony Theft at J C Penney's; steals over
$500 worth of makeup
Johnson City Police have arrested a woman for shoplifting at the Johnson City
Mall. Saturday, Officers responded to the store and arrested 29 year-old Lena
Wright of Bristol, VA. Officers discovered that Wright had entered the store and
concealed $533 of makeup items.
wjhl.com
Athens, GA: Female Shoplifters make several trips in-out of Ollie's
Columbus, OH: Over $1,000 of Kohl's merchandise recovered as 2 suspects flee
Troy, MI: 2 arrested in Victoria's Secret $800 theft attempt
|
|
 |
|
|
|
