Southbound New Yorkers arrested amid alleged ‘shoplifting spree’ in VA.
Four New Yorkers who were reportedly passing through the Commonwealth got an inside look at Rappahannock Regional Jail with free transportation provided by Stafford County Sheriff’s Office.
On November 25, shortly before 9 p.m., officers with the Special Problems Unit were at Stafford Market Place conducting an anti-shoplifting detail when they were called upon by staff at Kohl’s, the Sheriff’s Office stated. They were reportedly told two people left the store with several thousands of dollars worth of fragrances and got into a black car.
First Sergeant D.F. Purcell spotted the suspect vehicle less than half a mile away from the store at the Circle K on Prosperity Lane, SCSO reported.
Purcell was assisted by Deputy E.C. Taylor when he approached the vehicle, which had four occupants, said SCSO. While engaging with the driver, 28-year-old Angel Chachon Lopez, the deputies reportedly saw “a fresh bottle” of Chanel Bleu next to him. Being “unexpectedly honest,” Lopez admitted that he’d just stolen it from Kohl’s, the Sheriff’s Office stated.
All four occupants were detained, and 66 items valued at $8,761 were recovered, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
The other three occupants were identified as:
- Yuniorlys Gil Planchar, a 23-year-old Bronx woman,
- Dubraska Duque Maita, a 22-year-old woman from Brooklyn
- Lopez Cedeno, a 37-year-old Staten Island man.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, the suspects revealed they were headed from New York to North Carolina and planned to shoplift at various stores on the way. Information obtained from their GPS revealed that the next target after Kohl’s was in Fredericksburg, the SCSO added.
All four suspects were charged with one count each of felony conspiracy and possession of stolen goods. Lopez and Planchar were also charged with larceny.
All four have a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 16, 2024, court records show.
The Sheriff’s Office commended the officers for stopping the “shoplifting spree.”
