A California thief used Target’s self-checkout service to steal more than $60,000 worth of merchandise during a shoplifting spree that spanned 100 visits to the retailer.
Aziza Graves, 43, said she visited the Stonestown Galleria Target in San Francisco 120 times between October 3, 2020 and November 16, 2021. San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
In her meticulous plan, Graves would select an item from the shelf, then go straight to the self-checkout, scan the item, and pay a nominal amount, such as a single coin or bill, before leaving the store. Ta.
Graves was arrested in November 2021 after investigators and San Francisco police followed him twice in and around the store.
After leaving the store with the stolen items, the thieves went to the city’s United Nations Plaza, less than a mile from City Hall, where they sold the items to a dealer.
“She then began selling the stolen items to passersby,” prosecutors said.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins decried the rise in shoplifting in the area, saying it was hurting businesses of all sizes.
“Retail theft continues to have a significant impact on San Francisco businesses, from small mom-and-pop stores to big box stores,” Jenkins said in a press release last week.
The jury found Graves guilty of one felony count and 52 counts of petty theft.
She was originally charged with eight felonies of grand larceny and 120 misdemeanor counts of petty theft. According to KRON4.
Graves is not currently in custody, but could be sentenced to up to three years in state prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 24.
Mr Jenkins accused shoplifters of profiting from stores to the detriment of the public.
“Individuals like Aziza Graves commit gross theft through brazen and repeated acts that significantly impact a retailer’s ability to serve and operate the public in the area,” Jenkins added. .
“These crimes demand accountability, and my office, along with local law enforcement, will continue to pursue and prosecute those involved, as well as others who steal openly and brazenly. We need to send a message that we will do it.”
“This sentence emphasizes that San Franciscans will not tolerate criminals who seek to take advantage of our business community.”
