Suspects in 'High-End' SoCal Shoplifting Ring Busted

San Diego County, CA — Four suspects in a high-end shoplifting ring were arrested Wednesday when authorities served search warrants in South San Diego, Chula Vista and the Lake Elsinore area, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

The arrests culminated an investigation that lasted more than two and a half months and involved 11 documented theft cases spanning three states and five counties in California, a sheriff's detective stated in a news release.

"The search warrants served were in support of the investigation of a series of thefts at high-end retail stores, led by Lorena Ramirez and Zakharias Karasoulas, both of whom have personally stolen an estimated total of over $700,000 since 2011," said Detective Rene Kirchhoefer.

While serving the warrants, authorities recovered $12,000 worth of new and tagged retail merchandise. 

The retail stores identified as victims of the thefts were Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Victoria’s Secret and Gap.

Ramirez and Karasoulas, as well as two other suspects, Dion Karasoulas and Mario Espinoza, were arrested and booked into jail on suspicion charges including grand theft, conspiracy to commit grand theft, felony warrant charges and possession of stolen property, Kirchhoefer said.

The search warrants were served simultaneously by sheriff's detectives from the Rancho San Diego Station, police from National City and Escondido, and loss prevention specialists from Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Victoria's Secret, JCPenney and Gap stores.

(Image via Sam Davyson/Flickr)