3 Arizonans accused of selling stolen merchandise
Phoenix Police, along with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, helped dismantle what they called ‘a sophisticated organized retail theft operation’ in the Valley, and prosecutors have changed three people for their alleged involvement. FOX 10’s Lindsey Ragas reports.
PHOENIX – Phoenix Police and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office helped dismantle what they call a sophisticated organized retail theft operation in the Phoenix area.
What we know:
Prosecutors have charged a delivery driver and a Glendale couple for making hundreds of thousands of dollars selling stolen products out of their living room. The organized retail theft operation dates back to 2023.
“In regards to this investigation, we received notification about a crew of individuals that were moving large amounts of merchandise from retail stores, primarily Bath and Body Works,” said Detective Jacob Kellander with the Phoenix Police Department.
Investigators say the stolen items were sold to a married couple in Glendale. They were identified as Yuli Esther Degante Vigueras and Nephtali Santiago-Garcia.
“Yuli and Nephtali were buying from shoplifters, from boosters like Terry White and his crew,” said Phoenix Police Detective Mark Holtzen.
Dig deeper:
Detectives say the couple was also buying stolen items from a delivery truck driver, who was identified as Marcos Hernandez-Ortega.
“His job was to pick up cargo shipments at a local warehouse in Phoenix, and he was supposed to deliver them to the stores, said Det. Holtzen. “He did that for the most part, but then he started stealing from his route so that it can be trafficked through Yuli and Nephtali.”
Police say the couple organized their living room into a makeshift store, and advertised their products on OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace and TikTok. Customers would then be invited to their home and given a shopping bag to pick out discounted items. Once they purchased the items, they’d walk out with their products wrapped in tissue paper in a Bath and Body Works bag, as if it was an actual store.
Detectives recovered over $350,000 worth of Bath and Body Works merchandise and $5,000 worth of Victoria’s Secret products inside the couple’s home.
What’s next:
“Mr. Santiago Garcia was indicted on 20 charges. Mrs. Degante Vigueras was indicted on 10 charges and Mr. Hernandez Ortega was indicted on two charges,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.
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