Los Angeles’ newly established Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF) made progress on holding suspects accountable for Southern California’s shoplifting sprees this summer. Law enforcement agencies arrested suspects they claim are responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars of retail thefts.
The ORCTF, which includes local police and sheriff’s departments as well as the California Highway Patrol (CHP), charged nearly two dozen people in connection with incidents of organized flash mobs and targeted robberies since Mayor Karen Bass announced the launch a week ago.
Related Stories
“The City of Los Angeles and neighboring cities have recently experienced an increase in ‘Flash-Mob’ method retail crime incidents conducted by multiple suspects targeting retail establishments throughout the Los Angeles region,” the L.A. Police Department (LAPD) said in a statement on Thursday. The ORCTF’s Aug. 21 launch gave detectives authority over nine cases of organized retail crime in Los Angeles, including several cases linked to other crimes in neighboring cities and townships.
As of Aug. 23, ORCTF has made 11 robbery arrests related to four of the nine cases it’s investigating. These include Aug. 1-12 incidents at the Versace store in L.A.’s Beverly Center Mall and the Warehouse Shoe Store in Highland Park, a $356,000 smash-and-grab at the Nordstrom at Westfield Topanga mall in Canoga Park, and a $300,000 robbery at the Yves Saint Laurent store in Glendale.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Friday spoke to the L.A. cases, as well as another in nearby Riverside county when suspects stole $97,000-worth of luxury merchandise on Aug. 1 at a Burberry outlet store. Bonta said the California Department of Justice (DOJ) had filed multiple felony charges against several suspects said to have been involved in multiple incidents, including grand theft, second-degree robbery, carjacking, second-degree burglary and unlawful possession of ammunition.
Ziona Janea Famoso, Jordan Harris, Alana Hart and Jason Jaylom Smith were named in a 14-count felony complaint filed in L.A. Superior Court by Bonta’s office. Hart and Famoso were charged with stealing luxury items from the Burberry store, and participating in the Aug. 8 Yves Saint Laurent smash-and-grab. Famoso, Harris and Hart also participated in the Aug. 12 Nordstrom incident.
“Organized retail theft harms businesses, retailers, and consumers—and puts the public at risk,” Bonta said, adding, “The California Department of Justice and its partners will continue fighting to keep our communities, businesses, and consumers safe from retail theft and other crimes.”
On Friday, L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón provided more details about the arrests made in connection with Warehouse Shoe Store, noting that six people had been charged as a result of two different incidents of organized retail theft.
Abraham Olivares, Raul Palazuelos and Joe Hernandez were each charged with one felony count of grand theft by LADA’s Organized Crime Division (OCD), according to the D.A.’s office. Olivares and Palazuelos allegedly entered the store on Aug. 22 and left without paying for a “large amount of merchandise.” All three pled not guilty at their arraignment on Thursday. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 7.
On Aug. 23, three additional suspects—Henry Thomas, Michonna Metcalf and Trista Manuel—reportedly entered the Warehouse Shoe Store, and stuffed the merchandise they grabbed from shelves and racks into bags. They fled the store and drove to Downtown L.A., where they were apprehended.
Authorities charged each suspect with one felony count of conspiracy to commit a crime, and one felony count of grand theft. OCD also charged Thomas with one felony count of second-degree robbery. All three defendants pled not guilty during their arraignment, and will attend a preliminary hearing on Sept. 8.
“We will not tolerate the brazen actions of those behind organized retail theft,” Gascón said. “These crimes harm our community’s sense of security and the vitality of our local businesses.”
“To those contemplating or engaging in these crimes, let me be clear: we are leveraging advanced investigative partnerships to track down and apprehend those responsible,” he added. “The Organized Retail Crime Taskforce and my office’s Organized Crime Division will continue to bring those committing these crimes to justice.”
Officials this weekend also announced the arrest of 10 suspects in connection with a string of robberies targeting the East L.A. Nike Community store. After a two-day stakeout by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, the East L.A. Police’s Crime Enforcement Team and Summer Enforcement Team on Thursday and Friday, undercover officers arrested four suspects on felony charges and two on outstanding warrants, among other charges, and recovered $3,000 of stolen merchandise.
