A man who was arrested on Halloween is accused of stealing over $37,000 in merchandise from Target stores in 14 cities across North Texas, police said.
Winston Love, 28, was arrested Friday after Watauga Target employees reported a man had stolen more than $1,200 in Lego merchandise from the store at 8000 Denton Highway, Watauga police said in a news release.
The suspect fled the Target before officers arrived, police said. Love was later arrested following a brief standoff at a residence he was staying at.
Following his arrest, police said they learned Love had eight outstanding felony warrants for theft-related offenses from multiple jurisdictions, including Tarrant, Dallas and Rockwall counties.
Crime in The News
He was transported to the North Richland Hills Detention Center. Love faces two theft felony charges out of Watauga and several other charges in other North Texas cities and counties.
On Saturday, officers seized additional stolen property, illegal narcotics, a vehicle and around $5,000 in cash from the residence Love was arrested at, according to the release.
Love is suspected by police of committing 23 thefts at Target stores in 14 Texas cities including Dallas, Watauga, Irving, Plano, Fort Worth, Flower Mound, Lewisville, Frisco, Grapevine, Euless, Arlington, Mansfield, Temple and Harker Heights.
All the thefts occurred in the last two months. He is accused of stealing more than $37,000 in merchandise, police said in the release.
Police said they believe Love is connected to an organized retail theft ring operating in Texas and Oklahoma. Many of the thefts involve Lego merchandise, police said.
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