Organized Retail Thefts in Encinitas 

November 8, 2024 – San Diego County Sheriff’s Office officials report that two men are behind bars in connection with organized retail thefts in Encinitas. 

On August 29, 2024, deputies from the North Coastal Sheriff's Station responded to a call of a theft at the REI store located in the 1500 block of Leucadia Boulevard. When they arrived, they learned a suspect, later identified as Daniel Dipinto (60), had stolen a Yeti cooler valued at nearly $300. Dipinto was seen fleeing the scene in a black Audi. The description matched that of a car that had been linked to previous shoplifting incidents in the area.

During the course of their investigation, deputies from the North Coastal Sheriff's Station's Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) Unit, connected Dipinto to other thefts at businesses such as Target, REI and Dick's Sporting Goods. Among the stolen items included Yeti coolers, Legos, Tumi bags and assorted women's clothing totaling nearly $6,700.

Deputies also determined Dipinto was obtaining stolen credit card numbers from another suspect, later identified as Omar Najera (34). The investigation found Najera was trading the stolen credit card information for the stolen goods from Dipinto. 

On Wednesday, November 6, Najera was taken into custody in Encinitas, while Dipinto was arrested in Mission Valley. Following the arrests, more stolen merchandise was recovered. Both are facing numerous theft and identity theft-related charges.

Source: San Diego County Sheriff’s Office