Two Arrested, $18K Of Suspected Stolen Items Found In Palo Alto

PALO ALTO, CA — Two Southland residents were arrested in Palo Alto in connection with organized retail theft incidents and more than $18,000 has been recovered in suspected stolen property from multiple retailers.

Van Nuys resident Jose Moises Mujica, 59, and Remedios Reyes, 62, of North Hollywood, were both arrested on suspicion of organized retail theft, felony possession of stolen property and possession of burglary tools, the Palo Alto Police Department reported.

Officers received a call at 6:43 p.m. Thursday that two people were shoplifting at Victoria's Secret at the Stanford Shopping Center at 180 El Camino Real.

A store employee reported that a man was stuffing merchandise down his pants to conceal it with a female accomplice at his side.

The pair then fled the store without paying for the items and went to their vehicle while an employee followed.

Officers detained the suspects in their vehicle without incident. Police found that the man had stolen more than $500 worth of bras from Victoria's Secret.

After a search of the suspects' vehicle, police located several trash bags filled with a trove of suspected stolen property.

About 400 separate pieces of name brand clothing from Express, Hollister and J. Crew valued at more than $18,000 were recovered.

Some of the merchandise was reportedly taken from a Victoria's Secret in Fresno on Tuesday but investigators were still working to determine where and when most of the clothing was stolen.