Authorities in California have taken down a retail theft operation that spanned 21 counties and involved $8 million in stolen beauty products.
The California Highway Patrol announced the arrest of one person believed to be the ringleader of the statewide crime ring which was ultimately broken up following months of investigation.
CHP officials say the yet-to-be-named ring leader allegedly recruited and paid at least seven people to steal products from Ulta Beauty stores and other retail outlets across the state, which would then be sold through her Amazon storefront at deep discounts.
The multimillion-dollar scheme, authorities said, took place for nearly a decade.
The thefts occurred in Alameda, Placer, Kern, Contra Costa, Orange, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, San Diego, Sacramento, San Mateo, Solano, Riverside, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Napa, Marin, Tulare, San Bernardino, Sonoma, Ventura and Yolo counties, according to CHP.
The investigation was conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies, in addition to the CHP, including the California Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Loss prevention teams from some of the targeted stores also took part in the operation.