Bay Area Retail Theft Bust Nets $350K In Stolen Items: CHP

OAKLAND, CA — A Bay Area task force interrupted a large-scale retail theft operation, recovering more than $350,000 in stolen merchandise, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP's Organized Retail Crime Task Force worked with the Valley Division Investigative Services Unit and the Concord Police Department to execute warrants in Oakland and Galt earlier this month, officials said Tuesday.

Officers were pursuing intelligence suggesting an Oakland home was being used to fence stolen goods, and investigators believed additional merchandise was being stored in a van and trailer in Galt. Photos shared Tuesday showed a large number of retail items sorted into bins, including a cache of detergent and cosmetics.

Police said a search of the Oakland home revealed stolen retail items and a loaded handgun, leading to the arrests of several suspects. Each was booked into the Alameda County Jail on suspicion of multiple charges, including grand theft, possession of stolen property and conspiracy to commit a crime.

According to the CHP, the investigation revealed a leased storage facility in Oakland where a search turned up additional merchandise, along with more than $17,000 in cash and another handgun.

In Galt, officials said Valley ISU investigators seized two vehicles packed with a "substantial quantity" of stolen items. After working with retail staffers to inventory the merchandise, the task force estimated the total value exceeded $350,000.

"The successful execution of the search warrants exemplifies the effectiveness of partnerships and collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies, and the retail industry in combating and dismantling organized retail crime networks within California," the CHP wrote. "The mission of the California Highway Patrol is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security."