- February 7, 2025
-
-
Loading
Loading
Five suspects linked to an organized felony theft ring have been arrested after a joint operation, Operation Blacklist, between the Volusia and Seminole county sheriff's offices.
One additional suspect is still being sought.
Members of the theft ring are believed to be responsible for the theft of about $10,000 a month from retail stores throughout Central Florida and a combined retail theft of $360,000 from retail stores including Walmart, Target and Publix in Volusia and Seminole counties and a sports retail store in Lake Mary.
The theft ring is believed to have been in operation since 2013.
According to the Volusia County Sheriff's Department, the thieves have been selling the stolen property to a local fence for resale or trading it for drugs.
“The best way to fuel crime is to start with retail theft. That money is going somewhere, whether it goes overseas… or it’s going for drugs,” Sheriff Mike Chitwood said in a press release. “I’m very proud of our detectives, working with the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, and the work that went into this investigation.”
The VCSO investigation began after an Oct. 2, 2016, shoplifting call at Walmart, 1569 Saxon Blvd., Deltona. Two suspects were observed filling a shopping cart with bottles of Tide laundry detergent, packages of large and small Tide detergent pods, large and small bottles of Gain laundry detergent, bottles of Gain fabric softener, bottles of Gain detergent beads and three 22-pound bags of Purina cat food.
In the following months, similar thefts occurred at the same Deltona Walmart before more thefts were reported at the Orange City Walmart, 2400 Veterans Memorial Parkway; Publix, 2100 Saxon Blvd., Deltona; Walmart, 1601 Rinehardt Road, Sanford and Target, Sanford, all in late 2016.
Reports also emerged about more thefts at Target stores, involving the same suspects or their associates, dating as far back as May 2014 in Sanford, Lake Mary, Altamonte Springs and Orange City.
Surveillance video and photographs, photo lineups and interviews, law enforcement databases and investigative tracking assisted in arresting the suspects.
The arrest warrants have been turned over to the Statewide Prosecutor’s Office to prosecute the cases as they occurred in both Volusia and Seminole counties.
