The Aurora Police Department recently busted a major shoplifting ring that had targeted a local mall and other retail stores in Colorado.
According to CBS News, Aurora Police officers Chris Ozaluk and Kevin Manley executed the shoplifting ring bust at the Town Center Mall after a Victoria’s Secret regional loss prevention manager notified the Aurora Police Department of six shoplifting incidents at the local mall. The outlet noted that the shoplifting ring had stolen roughly $10,000 from the Victoria’s Secret location in Aurora.
“We started with surveillance video and loss prevention reports,” Ozaluk told CBS News. “From there, we worked with detectives to identify suspects and establish a pattern of activity.”
After noticing the shoplifting ring’s pattern of targeting Victoria’s Secret every Thursday, the police department decided to take action.
“Officer Manley concealed himself inside the store, while I waited across the hall,” Ozaluk told CBS News. “Once they entered, Manley alerted me, and we were able to apprehend them.”
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According to CBS News, the police officers were able to arrest three shoplifting suspects during the first phase of the operation. Ozaluk explained that the police officers contacted backup for help processing the three suspects while the officers prepared for the next group of suspects.
“The group thought we were gone, so additional suspects showed up, and we arrested more people,” Ozaluk said.
A video shared on X, formerly Twitter, by End Wokeness shows the shoplifters attempting to steal products from Victoria’s Secret as well as law enforcement officials confronting the shoplifters.
CBS News reported that police officers arrested four total suspects and identified seven suspects believed to be involved in the Aurora shoplifting ring, allowing law enforcement officials to connect the suspects with numerous shoplifting cases across the city.
“We were able to link these subjects to 98 other cases within the city,” Ozaluk stated. “Between the Town Center Mall and Southlands, they caused nearly $100,000 in losses.”
CBS News reported that police detectives used store surveillance videos to identify multiple suspects, including one individual who was linked to 25 different shoplifting incidents. Manley explained, “We were able to go back and match the suspects to open cases waiting for identification.”
Manley also noted that the arrest of the shoplifting ring members has resulted in a major decrease in shoplifting incidents in Aurora. “Victoria’s Secret told us their theft has almost stopped entirely,” Manley said. “I never expected this operation to lead to such a magnitude of charges.”
