Costa Mesa, CA — Police officers assigned to the South Coast Plaza Detail responded to a high-value theft at Lululemon, where four female suspects were reported to have stolen merchandise and fled the scene.
As officers arrived, two suspects escaped in a vehicle, which was soon located within city limits. A brief pursuit ended when the car entered the 55 Freeway, prompting officers to terminate the chase for safety reasons. However, with the assistance of the Huntington Beach Police Department’s helicopter and CHP Santa Ana, authorities continued tracking the suspects.
The vehicle eventually pulled over on a connector freeway, where the two women—both in their 30s and from out of state—were safely taken into custody. Inside the car, officers discovered stolen merchandise from Lululemon as well as multiple garbage bags filled with suspected stolen items from other retailers. The total value of the recovered goods is estimated to exceed $20,000.
The other two suspects who fled on foot remain at large. Investigators believe this crew may be connected to additional retail theft incidents in the region.
“We are working closely with our law enforcement partners and the California Highway Patrol’s Retail Theft Task Force to combat these organized theft rings,” said Costa Mesa Police.
The Legal Impact of Retail Theft in California
Crimes like these often blur the line between theft and robbery, depending on whether force or fear is involved. In California:
- Robbery (Penal Code §211) is always a felony.
- First-degree robbery can lead to 3–9 years in state prison.
- Second-degree robbery carries 2–5 years.
- Use of a firearm or deadly weapon, great bodily injury, or involvement of multiple suspects can result in severe sentence enhancements—up to 25 years to life under the Three Strikes Law.
- Fines, firearm bans, and immigration consequences may also apply.
In contrast, theft charges (like petty or grand theft) apply when property is taken without violence or intimidation. However, organized retail theft—especially involving crews, large values, or repeat offenses—is being treated with increasing severity by California prosecutors and law enforcement.
