In a recent announcement, Attorney General Rob Bonta revealed the arrest of three individuals suspected of engaging in a series of retail thefts at high-end stores across the Bay Area and Southern California. The thefts totalled over $300,000 in stolen items.
The suspects, identified as Isaiah Abdullah, Ishmael Baptist, and Nickolas Mallory, are facing multiple felony charges, including organized retail theft, robbery, and grand theft. These charges stem from more than 20 theft incidents that occurred between December 2022 and last month.
According to authorities, the suspects employed a “smash and grab” tactic, rushing into stores to steal high-end items like purses before quickly fleeing. Targeted stores included well-known brands such as Burberry, Prada, Sunglass Hut, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, Gucci, Coach, Versace, and Maison Margiela.
Court documents allege that Abdullah was involved in stealing $23,000 worth of items during two thefts at Louis Vuitton stores in Santa Clara County in June 2023. Abdullah and Mallory are also accused of stealing nearly $6,800 in merchandise from a Burberry store in Alameda County in October 2023.
The trio is also linked to similar thefts in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego counties, with stolen merchandise totalling $309,752. All three suspects are currently being held at the Los Angeles County Jail.
These arrests come on the heels of other crackdowns on retail theft rings in the state. Last month, Bonta’s office announced the arrest of a suspected ringleader involved in stealing $8 million in items from beauty stores across California.
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In January, three individuals were arrested for stealing $650,000 in items from numerous stores across the Bay Area.
Bonta’s office encourages individuals with information about retail theft to submit tips through the California Department of Justice website.
