In a calculated crackdown on organized retail crime, California Highway Patrol (CHP) detectives arrested two suspects and recovered over $85,000 worth of stolen merchandise on August 22, 2023.
California's CHP Golden Gate Division (GGD) Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF) pursued the criminals following an investigation in July 2023, which focused on the sale of stolen Victoria's Secret merchandise vending in Oakland's Coliseum Flea Market. The suspects were captured selling the tagged merchandise, thus arousing suspicion and leading to the ORCTF's intervention.
Through a combination of stealthy surveillance, search warrants, and traffic stops, the task force finally located the two suspects - Roberto Luna-Varela and Daniela Cruz Barragan, both Oakland residents - selling large quantities of retail goods at a flea market in Galt, California. Upon further inspection, Victoria's Secret investigators found no record of point-of-sale transactions for the merchandise in question, valued at over $20,000.
When CHP followed the suspects, they discovered additional stolen items in their vehicle from brands like Lululemon, ULTA Beauty, Sephora, Sunglass Hut, Safeway, and Walgreens. Retail representatives, who took part in the seizure process, ultimately estimated the value of recovered goods to exceed $85,000. Luna-Varela and Cruz Barragan are now charged with possession of stolen property.
