About $150,000 worth of teeth whitening toothpaste, speakers, clothes and other items were recovered in one of several retail theft operations last week in Southern California.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Organized Retail Crime Task Force operations carried out in early August included an investigation with detectives from the Inland Empire Cargo Taskforce at a large warehouse in Commerce. Authorities served a search warrant Aug. 5 in the 2700 block of South Eastern Avenue, where the teeth whitening paste and 22 units of Edifier speakers, valued at $3,300, were recovered.
In a separate Organized Retail Crime Task Force operation last week, nearly $40,000 in stolen merchandise from Lululemon, Alo, Target, TJ Maxx and Macy’s was recovered. Search warrants were served Aug. 4 in the 700 block of South Serrano Avenue and the 700 block of Alvarado Street in Los Angeles.
The items, including clothing, kitchenware, cosmetics and personal hygiene products, were being re-sold in the MacArthur Park area west of downtown Los Angeles.
Two people were arrested on suspicion of organized retail theft and receiving stolen property. The case will be presented Friday to Los Angeles County prosecutors for consideration of criminal charges.
On Aug. 6 in Santa Clarita in another operation, detectives conducting a surveillance on a residential burglary crew suspected in heists in Walnut, Glendale and Baldwin Park and arrested three men in the investigation. The suspects, who were seen deploying a Wi-Fi during a residential burglary in the community north of Los Angeles, were charged Monday with burglary and attempted burglary, according to the sheriff’s department.