$84,669 Worth Of Items Stolen From Retail Stores: Sheriff

POLK COUNTY, FL — Seven out of eight suspects accused of organized retail crime were arrested on Wed. and Thurs., the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

A statewide investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Attorney General Ashley Moody and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement helped identify the retail victims, Publix, Winn-Dixie and Walmart that authorities said experienced a total estimated loss of $84,669 from stolen items such as baby formula, diapers and energy drinks that were resold by the suspects in the black market.

Five of the suspects went into different stores and allegedly stole the above mentioned items, and would place the items in a rental car. The items were taken to the other three suspects who allegedly gave them cash and resold the stolen items from their stores.

Investigators said each organized theft amounted to between $350 to $900 worth of stolen items.

Law enforcement officials started tracking this activity in August 2019, and stores in 18 Florida counties, including Polk, Pinellas, Sarasota, Pasco and Hillsborough were among the stores stolen from.

Five of the suspects were arrested on multiple charges in Hillsborough County, one suspect was arrested in Orlando and the seventh suspect turned herself into the Polk County Jail on Thurs, according to deputies. The eighth suspect, Beatrice Johnson, 29, has a warrant out for her arrest for conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering violation and grand theft.

Below are the suspects who are accused of stealing items, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office:

• Rantevia Singleton, 26, conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering violation, grand theft
• Adrian Givens, 25, conspiracy to commit racketeering, racketeering violation, grand theft
• Ashley Anderson, 24, conspiracy to commit racketeering
• Andrea Mack, 25, conspiracy to commit racketeering, grand theft

The following suspects are accused of paying for the stolen items to resell at stores:

• Eshaud Suid, 31, conspiracy to commit racketeering and racketeering violation
• Ahmed Hamdan, 27, conspiracy to commit racketeeting
• Abas Issa, 53, dealing in stolen property