Operation Smash and Grab: Corona Man and Woman Arrested for Commercial Burglary and Organized Retail Theft

October 3, 2024 – San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department officials report that on September 20, 2024, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department began an investigation into organized retail thefts of products from Stater Bros. Markets in the cities of Chino and Ontario. Two unidentified suspects were involved in each of the incidents. The unidentified female suspect entered the markets and gathered several products and placed them in reuseable bags. An unidentified male suspect staged a vehicle outside the stores and waited for the female to exit with the unpaid items. The female suspect exited the stores without paying for the products, met with the male suspect, and loaded the vehicle with the stolen items. Both suspects fled the locations before local law enforcement arrived. The total losses were several thousand dollars. 

On September 27, 2024, Regional Gang Team investigators identified the suspects as Andrew Nunez and Amber Buasen. Investigators served a search warrant in Corona, and arrested Andrew and Amber without incident. During the search warrant, investigators located several hundred dollars’ worth of stolen products and returned them to Stater Bros. Nunez and Buasen were arrested for commercial burglary and organized retail theft and booked at the West Valley Detention Center, in lieu of $30,000 bail.

In November 2023, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department became concerned with the rise in thefts at retail stores, which often involved organized crews that conspire to commit robberies, burglaries, shelve sweeps, and vandalisms. These violent criminals terrorize the citizens of San Bernardino County by utilizing intimidation tactics and a mob mentality that creates an unsafe and uncomfortable shopping environment for our residents. 

Operation Smash & Grab focuses its efforts on the Rancho Cucamonga, Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville, and Chino Hills shopping districts to disrupt and dismantle these retail store theft crews. Investigators utilize conventional and non-conventional investigative methods to accomplish this task and lessen the blight created by these bad actors. 
  
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors authorized funds to assist with county-wide crime suppression. The intent is to provide additional funding to the Sheriff’s Department, allowing for increased law enforcement services related to quality-of-life issues affecting the communities in our county.

DATE: October 1, 2024

INCIDENT: Targeted Crime Suppression-Operation Smash & Grab

LOCATION(S): 930 N Haven Avenue, Ontario
                         8373 Pine Avenue, Chino

SUSPECT(S): Amber Buasen, 40-year-old resident of Corona
                        Andrew Nunez, 28-year-old resident of Corona

VICTIM(S): Stater Bros. Markets

Refer: Public Affairs Division 

Station: Gangs/Narcotics Division

Phone No. (909) 387-3700

Case No. 662400573on

Source: San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department