A California woman was arrested after being found in possession of more than $450,000 worth of stolen property.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) announced in a Facebook post that 35-year-old Claudia Cruz has been charged with organized retail crime, possession of stolen property and criminal conspiracy for her alleged role in the fence-setting operation.
Last month, the California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF) began investigating a criminal network responsible for a series of thefts targeting various Bay Area retailers.
Through surveillance, investigators identified a suspect they believe to be part of an illegal theft ring based in Oakland trafficking stolen goods.
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As a result of the investigation, a California woman was arrested after allegedly possessing more than $450,000 in stolen property in her home, vehicle and storage unit. (California Highway Patrol)
Based on the information gathered, investigators obtained search warrants for the residence and multiple vehicles, which were executed on August 15th with the assistance of the San Ramon Police Department.
During the search, agents located a large amount of stolen property, which was seized and transported to the facility for documentation.
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Police said the stolen items, valued at about $450,000, were primarily taken from drug stores. (California Highway Patrol)
During the search, agents also discovered that Cruz had rented a storage facility in Oakland. After obtaining an additional search warrant for the facility, agents found additional stolen items.
The estimated value of the stolen property was over $450,000 and consisted primarily of merchandise sold at drug stores.
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Cruz was eventually arrested and booked into the Alameda County Jail.
