Arrests in Ross Stores Theft Series

Sheriff’s Detective Brian Patterson is available to give an on-camera interview about a two-year-old operation that busted a shoplifting ring targeting Ross stores in San Diego County. You can meet Detective Patterson today at the Sheriff’s Santee Station at 11:30 a.m. The address is 8811 Cuyamaca Street. Detective Patterson can be reached at (619) 956-4057.

Five people arrested in connection with the thefts will be arraigned in Vista court today at 1:30 p.m.

In May 2010, Santee Detectives Division began an investigation into a commercial burglary that was occurring at the Ross store in the Santee Town Center. A second commercial theft attempt occurred at the same Ross store a few weeks later.

During this attempt the suspects were confronted by Ross Loss Prevention personnel and chased out of the store. Later that evening, the Loss Prevention Officer’s personal vehicle was vandalized in the store parking lot. All four tires had been slashed and a chemical substance poured on the exterior of the car.

Santee Detectives continued to work this series and learned that as many as five individuals would work in unison to steal high-end items from Ross Stores throughout the county. The suspects would carry on their person tools that were used to defeat security measures set up by Ross. This group was later determined to have been working together for approximately two years and several times a week they would victimize different Ross Stores. Ross representatives placed their loss from this group at easily $150,000 a year. The group would sell the items at the Oceanside Swap Meet and through word of mouth on the street. At the swap meet they had at least six sales booths and a mobile mini storage unit where the stolen merchandise was stored.

On 1/5/11, Santee detectives set up surveillance at the Ross Store in Encinitas. At approximately 1800 hours, five subjects were seen leaving the Ross Store and entering into two vehicles. They were immediately detained and later arrested by detectives for felony theft charges. Both vehicles were loaded with over $6,000 worth of stolen merchandise.

Three of the female subjects had stolen merchandise stuffed in their bras and under their clothing.

In custody are Willam Cruz (26), Heriberto Tolentino (42), Benita Rubio (46), Maria Oros (45) and Diana Palazios (37), all from San Marcos. All the suspects are facing numerous felony charges in regards to the thefts and INS holds have beenplaced on all the individuals.

After the arrest detectives served two search warrants in the North County area. A mobile storage box at the Oceanside Swap Meet was searched and found to be fully loaded with stolen merchandise from Ross Stores Countywide. A house on Johnston Lane in San Marcos was also searched and more stolen merchandise was recovered. In all, a 15 foot box truck was used to haul away all the stolen property. Detectives are still going through items and making additional discoveries. A hand written list of license plate numbers which appear to be of employees from Ross stores was found in their property. On seven different occasions employees cars were vandalized at work shortly after the group was confronted for stealing items out of the store.

Although this investigation is in its early stages, it is possible the activities of this highly organized retail theft organization could reach beyond the boundaries of San Diego county. At this time the investigation is on-going with additional arrests expected. As for the property hundreds of items have been recovered at this time, but Deputies are following up leads for several locations as to where additional stolen property may have been taken. Several other burglaries and thefts will be resolved as the investigation continues into these five suspects and others.

The investigation has been spear headed by the San Diego County Sheriff's Santee Office but has had assistance in the investigation from the Ross Loss Prevention personnel and the Sheriff’s Border Crime Suppression Team. Extensive use of intelligence information gathering methods, to include data mapping, was a very valuable tool which assisted deputies during this investigation.