Trans-National Crime Ring Members Busted For Grocery Store Wallet Theft: Sheriff

LOS ANGELES, CA — Three Los Angeles residents accused of being pert of a trans-national crime ring were arrested this week in connection to the theft of a woman's wallet.

The incident occurred on Oct. 31 at a grocery store on the 700 block of North Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks, when one person distracted a woman while another suspect stole her wallet from her purse that was sitting inside her shopping cart, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

A Whole Foods Market is located on that block of Moorpark Road.

"After the suspects stole the wallet, they immediately went to a nearby shopping mall and used the victim’s credit cards to make purchases at two different retail locations," deputies wrote.

Detectives investigated the incident, in part through collaboration with loss prevention employees at the businesses, and identified the suspects.

The suspects — Luis Alberto Melo Correa, 60; Ramona Del Rosario Silva Gacitua, 47; and Maria Del Milagro Hernandez Puig, 66 — were arrested in Los Angeles on Wednesday on suspicion of burglary, identity theft and conspiracy, authorities said.

"Silva Gacitua had three outstanding warrants for similar crimes committed in two other California jurisdictions. All three suspects are believed to be part of a Transnational Organized Crime Group," deputies wrote.

They are being held on $150,000 bail each and set to appear in court on Friday.