POLICE have gone undercover to bust shoplifters that planned major heists over the holidays.
The Los Angeles Police Department was busy last week, after going undercover in retail stores to launch Operation Secret Santa.
Between November 22 and November 25, the police were able to make 11 arrests, stopping shoplifters before they had a chance to leave the store.
“All suspects who were arrested for shoplifting were observed by the retail stores’ Lost Prevention officers who notified the plain clothes police officers in the operation,” the LAPD revealed in a recent press release.
“The plain clothes officers then notified uniform officers to come in and effect the arrest of the suspects.”
A trio, recognized as Yanah Meekins, Vincasia Love, and Ebony Berry were caught in a brazen robbery, that was quickly apprehended by the the undercover officers.
Read More on Theft
A store employee saw the three suspects nabbing shoes and claimed he was “in fear for his life,” after one of the suspects threatened him as they walked out of the store with the product in hand.
The plain clothes officers saw the encounter, and quickly called for backup to catch their vehicle and apprehend the shoplifters.
While some of the suspects that were caught during the shoplifting operation were able to be released on zero bail, Love and Meekins’s bail was set at $50,000 and Berry was held without bail.
Thanks to Operation Secret Santa, the LAPD was able to save $5,390 worth of merchandise.
Most read in The US Sun
In San Jose, Mayor Matt Mahan revealed earlier this month that the city would upgrade its anti-theft measures in all of its stores.
“This grant allocates millions of dollars to fight retail theft that will put more officers and district attorneys on the case and expand our automatic license plate reader program,” Mahan told NBC affiliate KNTV.
Many store owners have been impacted by retail theft, leaving people like Chris Patterson Simmons excited about the changes.
She shared the violent encounter that she experienced with thieves in her store.
“Unfortunately, I was a victim of retail theft. They smashed my door, and I had theft of my property,” she said.
The grant money will be used by the city to form an organized theft detail that will patrol malls and other hot spots.
“Through close collaboration with our law enforcement allies and the DA, we will work to bring down networks and lead to a successful prosecution of those involved,” said Paul Joseph, San Jose Police Department’s assistant chief.
https://www.the-sun.com/news/9738390/anti-theft-operation-secret-santa-crackdown-shoplifting-crime/