The Miami-Dade Police Department held a news conference Monday afternoon to announce arrests made in connection to an organized retail theft ring that detectives say caused over $20 million in losses to the retail industry this year.
Police said the nine-month Rico investigation involved the police department’s Organized Retail Crimes Squad and various other law enforcement partners.
“According to investigators, they have identified over 87 serial boosters which led to a first and second tier,” a news release from MDPD stated. “As of January 2023, to the present, the first-tier subject has been paid about 1.2 million dollars. During the same time frame, the second-tier subject has produced approximately 5 million dollars by selling the stolen items on an online retailer.”
According to police, the criminal organization was operating in different capacities throughout several counties within South Florida, including Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
“It is well organized. It is profitable. It is criminal,” said Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. “This is the modern day mafia.”
Less like a family and more like co-workers, officials said, but the damage done by the criminals was felt far and wide.
“These criminals cause these expenses to businesses, and they are then passed on to the prices that you and I, all the people that stand behind me, all law abiding citizens pay, when they go to the cash register,” said Moody.
Suspects in one group would just steal the items. They were the professional shoplifters, taking everything from security systems to eyedrops.
Group two crooks would re-barcode and catalogue the goods, and those in group three would prepare the goods for resale, selling everything online and making it all look legitimate.
Police said some of the retail victims allegedly targeted by the group were Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Publix, Winn Dixie, Fresco Y Mas, Navarro, Home Depot, Lowes, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target, Sam Ash, Best Buy, Harbor Freight, The Fiddle Shop, Guitar Center, Golf Galaxy, Macy’s, BJ’s, Costco, various pool supply stores and some small music businesses.