A retail theft spree that left Florida retailers down more than $100,000 has led to the jailing of a woman accused of partaking in a multi-county shoplifting operation. Lourdes Rodriguez is being held in Palm Beach County Jail, connected to thefts spanning five counties in the state.

Amidst the increased law enforcement scrutiny, Attorney General Ashley Moody's office was integral in the breakdown of this 'massive organized retail theft ring', with Rodriguez being the third arrest this week. "Criminal organizations be warned— in Florida, we have the tools and talent to investigate and take down your criminal enterprise, and you will pay for your crimes,” Moody stated. The Martin County Sheriff's Office investigation found Rodriguez's alleged thefts had incurred about $15,000 in losses for businesses including Walgreens, CVS, Ulta, and liquor stores across Brevard, Martin, Palm Beach, Sarasota, and Seminole counties, WPTV reports.

The Sheriff's office detailed that Rodriguez's method involved concealing merchandise in bags before leaving the stores unlawfully with the items. “She would hide them on her person, or in her bag, and she would flee the store," Martin County Sheriff William Snyder explained in a statement obtained by CBS12 News.

In a legislative push towards sterner repercussions for such crimes, State Representative John Snyder, son of Sheriff Snyder and representative for District 86, has composed legislation that amplifies penalties for serial theft. A third-degree felony ensues for individuals committing theft in groups of five or more, carrying a punishment of up to five years in prison. Rep. Snyder enforced the warning further, “It sends a clear message. We are looking for you. We will find you and there will be penalties to pay. So, let this be a warning to any other member of an organized retail crime: take that elsewhere. It’s not happening here in Florida," he told CBS12 News.

Rodriguez faces two counts of felony organized retail theft and two counts of grand theft. While the broader investigation continues to target the triad of arrests made this week, Attorney General Moody underscored the seriousness of the offenses, confirming Rodriguez's detainment on several separate theft-related charges, as reported by WPTV.