Three Bay Area residents are in custody, accused of taking part in an organized retail theft ring with targets up and down the California coast, including a pair of Victoria's Secret locations in San Diego County.
The CHP said Shyonie Myshae Davis, 20; of San Francisco; Ahjanae Latania Anetta Woods, 21, of Antioch; and Wessaun Leetay Johnson, 18, of Antioch; rented a car last Thursday and made their way south, eventually being spotted at the Mission Valley Mall, Plaza Bonita Mall, UTC mall, the Carlsbad Premium Outlets and the Carlsbad Forum mall.
The crew hit two Victoria's Secret stores, getting away with 329 items worth in excess of $16,000, according to investigators, who said the trio was observed making the thefts while they occurred.
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After a "be on the lookout" notice was sent out law enforcement countywide, Carlsbad police located the suspects' car near a mall in that North County city, and they were eventually pulled over on Interstate 5 and taken into custody.
As of Monday, Davis and Johnson remain in county custody. They are both being held on $25,000 bail and are charged with organized retail theft of more than $950, conspiracy to commit a crime, second\-degree burglary, receiving stolen property worth more than $950 and grand theft of property, all felony counts. They are due in court in Vista on Wednesday afternoon.
Local
Organized retail theft has been in the spotlight in the past few months, as theft mobs have targeted retailers up and down the coast of California. The brazen attacks have targeted large retailers, high-end boutiques and small mom-and-pop shops.
