Ceres man arrested in thefts of $40,000-plus in merchandise from Marshalls and T.J. Maxx

A Ceres man has been arrested in connection with an organized series of thefts of more than $40,000 in merchandise from T.J. Maxx and Marshalls retailers across the state, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP reported in a news release that officers arrested Fabian Ochoa Bravo, 33, on Wednesday and he was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center. His bail is $140,000. The release states officers executed a search warrant at a Ceres residence and found more than $40,000 in stolen merchandise.

The arrest came after a nearly two-month investigation.

T.J. Maxx and Marshalls alerted CHP investigators on July 7 “that a suspect was committing organized retail theft within the Los Angeles, San Francisco and Central Valley areas,” according to the release.

The CHP said Bravo was identified as a suspect in the Los Angeles area thefts through a license place. There was a second, unknown subject in these thefts, it reported.

“Bravo was also suspected of being responsible for an additional seven thefts from T.J. Maxx and Marshalls retail stores, resulting in a total loss of $5,572.55,” according to the release.

“Investigators conducted surveillance on Bravo and followed him to a residence in ... Ceres where he was seen unloading what appeared to be suspected stolen merchandise,” according to the release. On Wednesday, “the CHP Central Division Warrant Service Team served a search warrant at an address in ... Ceres and located approximately $40,376.76, worth of stolen merchandise.”

The release states T.J. Maxx loss-prevention officials helped identify and took possession of the merchandise. T.J. Maxx and Marshalls are owned by the same company and sell clothing, household items and other merchandise at discount prices.

More information was not immediately available from the CHP.