Three Bay Area residents are facing multiple felony charges for a series of more than 20 burglaries from September to November.
The suspects were arraigned at the Contra Costa County Superior Court the same day, and face multiple charges—including organized retail theft, second-degree burglary, grand theft, and vandalism.
The Justice Department’s Special Prosecutions Section is prosecuting the case.
The three suspects are accused of attempting 25 robberies in different locations across the Bay Area, including an incident where burglars crashed a stolen car into a Louis Vuitton Store in Walnut Creek.
According to the district attorney’s office, the suspects burglarized the businesses by breaking through security doors and gates in the middle of the night and filling garbage bags with cigarettes, alcohol, and cash. In two instances, authorities said, the suspects also stole ATM machines.
Police interrupted nearly all the burglaries. However, the suspects escaped into waiting vehicles and evaded law enforcement each time.
On two occasions, the fleeing suspects’ vehicles hit patrol vehicles, one of which resulted in injury to an officer.
Through investigating the various charges, the Contra Costa FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and the Concord and Walnut Creek police departments determined that the same three individuals committed the burglaries, which resulted in more than $650,000 in losses to all the stores, officials said.
“Organized retail theft harms businesses, retailers, and consumers – and puts the public at risk,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta in the statement. “The California Department of Justice and its partners will continue fighting to keep our communities, businesses, and consumers safe from retail theft and other crimes.”
