TWO women have been arrested for their alleged involvement in multiple thefts at popular department stores.
Police received a tip from a Burlington employee that led them to the two suspects.
The employee told police on Tuesday around 3 pm that two women were allegedly stealing from the store in Florida, according to Fox affiliate WITI.
When they arrived, they found the two women loading about $400 worth of stolen goods into a 2014 Hyundai Tucson with California plates, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, per the outlet.
The women have since been identified as 34-year-old Carla Stephany Soto Araneda and 33-year-old Genesi Michael Flores Reyes.
The car was filled with allegedly stolen items.
Police clearly saw items with tags from Marshalls and Ross as well as tools to help remove anti-theft devices, according to the outlet.
The car was towed to an impound lot and police received a search warrant to dive deeper into the car.
They reportedly found over $6,000 worth of items from different stores.
Araneda and Reyes allegedly stole $417.77 from Burlington, $2,703.86 from Marshalls and $3,134.32 from Ross.
The grand total was $6,255.95.
ARREST
The two women were taken to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office for interviews.
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Police said both women gave full confessions, officials said, according to WITI.
Both women traveled from California to Florida, detectives learned.
They had been all over the state including Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando and Miami.
Police have determined they are both in the country illegally.
Anti-theft measures rolled out by retailers
Retailers across the US and Canada have rolled out strategies designed to combat theft. The U.S. Sun has compiled a list of measures that have been implemented at stores.
- Locking items in cabinets.
- Security pegs.
- Security cameras.
- Signs warning about the impact of theft.
- Receipt scanners.
- Receipt checks.
- Carts with locking technology
Araneda and Reyes are currently being held in Charlotte County.
Officials have also alerted U.S. Customs and Border Protection, according to the outlet.
The U.S. Sun has contacted the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office for an update.
NEW SECURITY MEASURES
As a tactic to curb theft, Marshalls, as well as HomeGoods and TJ Maxx, started to have employees wear body cameras to catch shoplifting and violence against workers.
The anti-theft method started last year, according to Chief Financial Officer John Klinger.
Anyone who wears a bodycam is given special training.
“Body cameras are currently used by certain loss prevention associates, who have gone through thorough training on how to use the cameras effectively in their roles,” a TJ Maxx spokesperson said, per CBS News.
“Video footage is only shared upon request by law enforcement or in response to a subpoena.
“We hope that these body cameras will help us de-escalate incidents, deter crime, and demonstrate to our associates and customers that we take safety in our stores seriously.”