The Fairfield Police Department has taken a bite out of holiday crime with their recent "Operation Christmas Thieves," leading to the arrest of six individuals linked to a series of high-value thefts. In a pre-dawn operation that kicked off on December 22, four Vallejo suspects were nabbed for conspiracy and burglary offenses after shoplifting a cartload of goods. The culprits, Gregory Carson, Tavani Cole, Nehmia Hatchett, and Rashad Brown, faced additional charges when recognized by Vallejo PD for stealing an estimated $1.5 million in merchandise from local retailers.
An officer from the Fairfield PD spotted two of the suspects exiting a store with their illicit haul before they piled into a getaway vehicle. In the inevitably futile attempt to slip away, all four occupants were detained. Carson, besides having an active warrant in Solano County, joined his compatriots in being booked on charges at the county jail. According to a statement obtained by the Fairfield Police Department's Facebook page, "They were identified as 27-year-old Gregory Carson (who also had a warrant out of Solano County), 36-year-old Tavani Cole, 29-year-old Nehmia Hatchett, and 34-year-old Rashad Brown."
Jeffrey Fagan, 39, also from Vallejo, was arrested on the first day of the operation. Already on probation for theft in Napa and Solano County, Fagan's latest caper - a dressing room switcheroo - saw him booked for a probation violation and petty theft. The second day of the sting, December 27, resulted in the apprehension of a 16-year-old involved in a thievery at the Solano Town Center Mall, thanks to a vigilant off-duty CDCR officer. Although just six offenders were caught, these "heavy hitters" were linked to significant financial damages to local businesses.
The operation underscores Fairfield PD's commitment to protect the city's economic vitality. "At Fairfield PD, we value the businesses in our city and will continue to work with them to reduce instances of theft that negatively impact economy," was echoed on their social media post.
