Three people have been arrested in what authorities with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are calling a major organized retail theft case.
Detectives launched an investigation into the suspects after a 45-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman from Canyon Country committed an “Estes Robbery” at a retail business in the 19100 block of Golden Valley Road in the Santa Clarita Valley on Jan. 26.
An Estes Robbery in California is when suspects use some type of force against loss prevention personnel or store employees in the commission of the crime, escalating the shoplifting charge to a robbery.
Several weeks later, on Feb. 13, the same woman stole an unknown amount of retail merchandise from a store in Valencia. While she got away, investigators were able to identify her, according to an LASD news release.
A day later, loss prevention personnel detained the woman at a department store in Valencia where she brandished firearm in attempt to escape.
“Deputies quickly responded, took her into custody and worked with the Detective Bureau to confirm her identity as the suspect from the prior robbery,” the release detailed.
On Feb. 17, deputies with LASD’s Crime Impact Team located and arrested the male suspect on an outstanding robbery warrant. During a search of his home, a second firearm and controlled substances were recovered.
Investigators also discovered that the man had called his brother, instructing him to destroy evidence, which led to the arrest of a 41-year-old man from Mission Hills for being an accessory to a crime and concealing evidence.
Both the 31-year-old woman and 45-year-old man are facing felony robbery, firearm, ammunition and drug charges. In total, the trio was booked on 12 felonies and six misdemeanors.
The trio remains in custody and the case has been turned over to the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, officials said.
