Three suspects accused of 25 Bay Area burglaries
(KRON) — Three people are accused of operating an organized retail theft crime ring in Contra Costa and Alameda counties that targeted 25 businesses, law enforcement agencies announced Wednesday.
The trio carried out brazen burglaries and attempted burglaries at smoke shops, liquor stores, gas stations, and high-end retail stores between September and November. Their three-month crime spree resulted in more than $650,000 in losses to the stores, according to the California Attorney General’s Office.
“The suspects in this case are alleged to have taken part in a coordinated series of crimes that involved breaking into stores across the Bay Area, destroying property and stealing merchandise,” the AG’s Office wrote.
Investigators said burglars worked in groups, filling large garbage bags with cigarettes, alcohol, and cash. In two of the burglaries, entire ATM machines were carried away.
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Police interrupted many of the burglaries, however, the thieves fled into waiting vehicles and successfully evaded law enforcement each time. On two occasions, the getaway vehicles hit patrol vehicles, one of which resulted in injury to an officer.
The 25 incidents included:
On October 3, 2023, a suspect drove a stolen Land Rover through the front window of the Louis Vuitton store located in Walnut Creek at approximately 4:20 a.m. Approximately 10-15 suspects ran into the store and stole merchandise valued at $246,025.
The Land Rover, which had been previously stolen in Sacramento, was ditched in front of the Louis Vuitton store while the burglars used additional vehicles to flee.
“There were easily a dozen suspects, potentially up to 15. We responded with a minute of the alarm activating. Our officers were on scene as the suspects were fleeing. We did get into a pursuit… there were several vehicles involved,” a Walnut Creek police captain said.
On October 18, 2023, the suspects burglarized a Discount Cigarette shop in Dublin.
On November 8, 2023, 6-8 suspects entered a Nordstrom in San Diego during business hours and stole several Chanel purses with a total value of approximately $120,000.
On November 14, 2023, the suspects burglarized a smoke shop in Vallejo.
The Concord Police Department and Walnut Creek Police Department determined the same people were behind the slew of burglaries. The three suspects were taken into custody after police detectives served search warrants at several locations around the Bay Area. The arrested suspects’ names were not immediately released.
They will be arraigned at the Contra Costa County Superior Court Wednesday to face 50 felony charges, including organized retail theft, second-degree burglary, and grand theft.
U.S. retailers lose approximately $700,000 per every $1 billion in sales to organized retail crimes, the AG’s Office said.
This story will be updated.
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