A suspect accused of stealing over $100,000 in merchandise from Target stores across Southern California was busted by a new task force dedicated to cracking down on organized retail crime. In a statement released by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Akop Galadzhyan of Los Angeles was arrested on a felony charge of organized retail theft on May 21st.
Galadzhyan was nabbed after trying to walk out of a retail store with more than $1,000 in stolen goods. Along with the recent heist, detectives have linked the suspect to at least a dozen other thefts in the region. The Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force, responsible for his capture, is a coalition of law enforcement agencies aiming to stem a tide of retail, vehicle, part, and cargo thefts estimated to cost businesses $10 million yearly.
The initiative, funded by the California Retail Theft Prevention Grant Program, involves multiple agencies across Ventura County. It aligns efforts to provide a secure shopping environment, protect local businesses, and arrest those involved in organized theft schemes. As reported by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, Galadzhyan is being held instead of $100,000 bail and is scheduled for a court appearance on May 23rd.
Community members with information on organized theft activities are urged to come forward to aid the task force in their mission. The Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force offers a recorded tip line, as well as the Crime Stoppers Tip Line for anonymous informants. Sergeant Baltazar Tapia, who released the information, encourages public cooperation in combatting the growing issue of retail theft.
