“Two suspicious individuals, a man and a woman, were spotted inside the store,” “It was observed that someone with a very empty large backpack entered the store, exhibiting behavior highly indicative of theft,” “A suspicious woman was seen putting items into her bag,” “The vehicle they were driving was reported stolen,” “The man proceeded to the parking lot,” “and the apprehension operation began”…
With signals blaring from their walkie-talkies, law enforcement officers hit the gas pedal to swiftly arrive at the scene of the crime to start carrying out the law. This was not a scene from a movie, but a joint operation between the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) officers and undercover agents.
On Thursday, April 18, the LASD Temple City Station and Rosemead Substation Special Enforcement Team conducted multiple raids. Approximately 20 uniformed officers and 20 undercover agents worked in conjunction and made 16 arrests of theft suspects at local Walmart and Target stores, with the amount involved in the crimes not yet disclosed.
LASD officer Miguel Kanemoto told a reporter from Dajiyuan that the department will be launching preventative and enforcement actions in different areas to combat organized retail theft in the future.
“We are sending a strong message to criminals that law enforcement will be vigilant at all times to deter theft,” he said. While the California Prop 47 law states that “theft below $950 is a misdemeanor,” repeated offenses or additional charges could ultimately lead to felony charges.
Due to the current policies of Prop 47 and lenient penalties for serious crimes in California, theft, commercial burglary, and “flash mob” robberies have been frequent, causing great distress for businesses and the public.
Kanemoto stated that in Rosemead, “Target and Walmart are targets for thieves, whether it’s petty theft, large-scale theft, or even robbery”; items such as Legos, clothing, cosmetics, and baby formula are the targets for thieves.
Throughout the enforcement operation that day, continuous updates came through the walkie-talkies. Around 3 p.m., undercover agents stationed at Walmart noticed several suspicious individuals entering the store, each being pinpointed by the undercover agents as soon as they appeared nearby.
Upon the entrance of the suspects into the store, the undercover agents continued to monitor and report their movements. “The suspects have begun concealing merchandise in their jackets,” “The suspects are heading towards the exit,” upon receiving such messages, the uniformed officers slowly approached the entrance and eventually apprehended a man and a woman at the entrance.
During the enforcement process, aside from uniformed officers, there were numerous undercover agents involved.
“Undercover agents focus on individuals previously identified or those deemed suspicious upon entering a store, and they also monitor through surveillance cameras. They also pay attention to those carrying empty bags into the store,” he said.
After apprehending the two thieves in front of Walmart, the authorities immediately evacuated the scene, but the operation still alerted other thieves.
Through the walkie-talkies, undercover agents reported that two other suspicious individuals returned the items they had concealed on their person to the shelves and exited the store. Once they got into their vehicle, undercover agents immediately recognized that the vehicle they were driving was stolen and proceeded to follow them. Until the two individuals arrived at their residence, a fleet of police cars swiftly arrived at the scene.
As officers issued warnings, the atmosphere at the scene became tense. Due to the urgency of the situation, several officers had to draw their weapons and confront the suspects. After a brief standoff, the female suspect was handcuffed and taken to a police car, while other officers continued to track down the male suspect who had escaped through a back alley.
By the end of the day’s operation, LASD had arrested a total of 16 theft suspects.
Kanemoto reminded businesses that installing security and surveillance systems is crucial and emphasized the importance of reporting any suspicious activity promptly. Law enforcement can also track suspects in real-time using various methods and sometimes carry out sting operations.