Retail Theft Crew Tied To Almost 100 Thefts

Santa Clara County sheriff’s investigators say they arrested four San Jose men in a retail-theft case tied to nearly 100 store thefts across Northern California and Nevada. (cbsnews.com) The arrests came on April 14 after deputies searched several San Jose properties and recovered more than $83,000 in merchandise allegedly stolen from The Home Depot, TJ Maxx and Burlington. (nbcbayarea.com) Detectives said the haul included bags of new clothing and containers packed with power tools and other equipment, and the sheriff’s office put the retailers’ total losses at more than $100,000. (sfgate.com) Investigators said two suspects allegedly stole from Bay Area stores over a period of months, while two others allegedly resold the goods at flea markets in San Jose and Oakland. (cbsnews.com) The case spans multiple counties and another state, which is the kind of pattern California lawmakers targeted in a 2024 package of organized-retail-crime laws signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom. (gov.ca.gov) One of those laws, Assembly Bill 1779, took effect on January 1, 2025 and lets prosecutors bring certain theft-related cases in a county where part of the scheme happened, where stolen goods were recovered, or where the theft occurred. (oag.ca.gov) Authorities identified the four jailed suspects as Emerson Perez, 24; Isaac Perez, 24; Teodulo Aguirre, 61; and Sergio Rodriguez, 30, all of San Jose. (sfgate.com) They were booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of retail theft, receiving stolen property and conspiracy, and the sheriff’s office said the investigation is still active. (nbcbayarea.com)