Organized Retail Theft Suspects Arrested in Multi-Jurisdictional Investigation
December 24, 2023 - Riverside County Sheriff's Office officials report that on July 23, 2023, the Riverside Sheriff’s Southwest Station deputies responded to a business in the 39000 block of Winchester Road in the City of Temecula regarding a past burglary. Deputies learned multiple suspects entered the business after hours and stole several bottles of high-end alcohol.
The Southwest Station’s Robbery/Burglary Suppression Team (RBST) assumed the investigation and began following all leads. On September 17, 2023, an additional burglary occurred at the same business, targeting the same product with similar suspect descriptions. RBST learned the same suspects also burglarized several other businesses throughout Riverside County and surrounding counties within the same time frame. On September 24, 2023, several additional burglaries occurred at pharmacies throughout the Southern California region, where suspects matching the same description stole numerous bottles of medication.
RBST began collaborating with several allied agencies and loss prevention partners across Southern California to determine the extent and number of incidents for which this organized retail crew was responsible. The investigation revealed the suspects stole over $200,000 of high-end alcohol and prescription medication and caused over $50,000 in damages during the burglaries. It was also learned the suspects were associated with a Los Angeles-based gang and were selling the stolen items for profit. The suspects are responsible for approximately 40 burglaries.
After an extensive investigation spanning several months and using several investigative resources and agencies, RBST was able to positively identify four of the suspects as 24-year-old Aaron Kincy, a resident of Los Angeles, 24-year-old Corey Christopher, 23-year-old Rasheed Reed, and 23-year-old Armaun Yerger, all residents of Compton.
On December 21, 2023, RBST, with the assistance of several additional teams, served search warrants in the 100 block of 91st Street in Los Angeles, the 4000 block of Nicolet Avenue in Los Angeles, and the 13000 block of South Largo Avenue in Compton. During the search, deputies located several items of evidentiary value connecting all suspects to the string of burglaries, including clothing, several bottles of stolen prescription medication, and high-end alcohol. There were also six firearms recovered during the operation, which included unserialized guns and a firearm with an altered serial number. Aaron Kincy and Corey Christopher were located and arrested during the service of the search warrants. An additional subject, 20-year-old Kamron Williams of Compton, was also arrested for violating probation.
Aaron Kincy and Corey Christopher were booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center for several counts of organized retail theft, grand theft, burglary, and possession of a controlled substance for sale. Kincy is being held on $1,000,000 bail, and Christopher is being held on $500,000 bail. Reed and Yerger are already in custody, and additional warrants were issued for their involvement in this case. This is an ongoing investigation. No further details are available at this time.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office has zero tolerance for these offenses. We will continue to work proactively with our allied agencies, loss prevention partners, and the District Attorney’s Office to combat organized retail crime.
Anyone with additional information about this case is encouraged to contact Investigator Jeffrey Andrews of the Southwest Station RBST Team at (951) 696–3000.
Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Josh Hephner
File: TE232040022
Source & photo: Riverside County Sheriff's Office
