In a coordinated law enforcement effort spanning multiple states, two Michigan men have been apprehended and charged with a series of thefts including a high-dollar shoplifting incident in Milford, Massachusetts. According to a Facebook post from the Milford Police Department, the initial response was to a report at Target where the theft had just occurred.
The subsequent investigation by the Milford Police Detectives revealed that the incident was part of an organized retail crime spree that also targeted a Lowe’s in Milford. Through investigative techniques and technology, Milford Detectives tracked the suspects to Flint, Michigan. The suspects were positively identified on March 6th, resulting in charges for Michael Page, 21, and Jhlon Cabell, 18, along with two juveniles, believed to be responsible for an estimated $6,000 theft at Target.
Adding complexity to the case, Cabell and three individuals were arrested by the Louisiana State Police near Beaux Bridge, Louisiana on March 10. They faced multiple drug charges, and the vehicle they occupied, which matched the description of a rental seen in CCTV footage of the Milford thefts, contained several items believed to be stolen. The Milford Police credited inter-agency collaboration for the breakthrough, as Milford Chief of Police Robert Tusino stated in the Facebook post, "This case speaks to teamwork not just within our agency but within the law enforcement community as a collective."
The adult suspects now face several charges. Michael Page's list includes shoplifting, larceny by false pretense, conspiracy, organized retail crime, attempted larceny and contributing to the delinquency of minors, among others. Jhlon Cabell's charges mirror those of Page, with the addition of organized retail crime, attempted larceny, and contributing to the delinquency of a child, according to the Milford Police Department's announcement. The cases against these individuals represent not only the persistence of law enforcement but spotlight the expansive, and perhaps accelerating issue of organized retail crime.
