Arrests Made in Organized Retail Theft Investigation 

December 13, 2023 - Ventura County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on December 1, 2023, detectives with Camarillo Directed Enforcement Unit (DEU) received information that a theft may have occurred at a business located at the Camarillo Premium Outlets.  The reporting party stated the three suspects entered a vehicle and left the area. The detectives assigned to DEU quickly responded to the area and located the suspect vehicle as it was leaving.  A traffic enforcement stop was conducted for an equipment violation.  Deputies assigned to Camarillo Patrol Services responded to assist with the investigation.

During the traffic stop, Maicol Silva, Geradin Gonzalez-Morales, and Daniela Beltran-Rojas were contacted inside the vehicle.  As the investigation unfolded, deputies located several “booster bags,” a large amount of property from nearby businesses, and devices designed to defeat retail security tags.  Based on the booster bags and the information that led up to the traffic stop, deputies believed the property may have been stolen.

A "booster bag" is a burglary tool which is constructed specifically to defeat electronic security sensors and detectors utilized by businesses and retail stores as theft deterrents.  "Booster bags" typically consist of an inconspicuous bag and/or container lined with a conductive material which provides an electromagnetic shield around the merchandise's security sensor and prevents communication with the detector antennae typically stationed at the exit of a business.  The term "booster bag" originates from the street term, "boost", which means the intentional action of theft.

Detectives contacted the business associated to merchandise located in the vehicle and confirmed it was stolen.

All three subjects were arrested for organized retail theft and possession of burglary tools. 

Organized retail theft crews will commonly work in conjunction to steal merchandise from businesses.  One member may act as a lookout while the others conceal merchandise in booster bags, children’s strollers, or on their person.  Organized retail theft crews often steal multiple sizes of the same retail product/merchandise to illegally resell for profit via social media, various internet-based marketplaces (Offer up, Craigslist, Poshmark, etc.), and other mediums.

Not only do organized retail theft crews cause billions of dollars in losses to retailers nationwide, but they also pose a threat to customers and employees of the business.  There has been an increase in violent incidents involving organized retail theft crews throughout the nation.

The Directed Enforcement Unit is comprised of two detectives whose focus is assisting patrol services with various crimes including organized retail investigations.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank members of the public for their on-going support and due diligence in providing information to assist our agency in solving crimes. We are better at what we do because of our community partnerships.

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Source & photo: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office