The Phoenix Police cracked down on a massive retail theft ring, hauling in three women and heaps of high-end loot. The six-month sting dubbed "Operation Makeup Breakup" trawled in stolen goods with the grand sum of over $560,000, drawing curtains on a five-year crime spree, the department and Maricopa County Attorney's Office disclosed on Thursday, April 18.
Detectives descended on three covert storefronts neatly tucked away inside Phoenix and Tonopah homes to deliberately seize, then catalog, an array of over 20,000 pilfered cosmetic items. The Phoenix Police affirms this isn't where the buck stops. The trafficked treasure was also peddled online and shipped in bulk far beyond Arizona's borders.
In a statement posted on the department's website, phoenix.gov, Interim Police Chief Michael Sullivan was quoted saying, "My hope is that this sends a strong message that we are committed to investigating and arresting individuals of all crimes, and theft of this magnitude will not be tolerated."
The troika of nabbed women now faces stark charges including Illegal Control of an Enterprise and Trafficking in Stolen Property. Their operation reportedly revolved around the "fence" model — to buy and resell stolen goods, stocking their illegitimate inventory through "boosters". These small-time shoplifters would swag shop with a keen eye on the "shopping list" -- a curated menu of items they knew would pass the counter quickly.
County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, spotlighting the sweeping impact of such schemes, said, "We need to pay particular attention to this kind of crime – especially when it’s at this scale – because it affects everyone’s bottom line," as per the official statement. Mitchell underlined the cascade effect of retail loss climbing its way to the consumer's checkout tally.
While the collar marks a bold score for Phoenix law enforcement, the investigation remains agile and open; the authorities are tight-lipped on further details. Those swept up by this takedown might find a little comfort in the shared hashtags and handles like @phoenixpolice.
