POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Eight people have been charged in a statewide investigation into high-dollar stolen goods that were illegally re-sold in Florida, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said Friday.
Sheriff Grady Judd provided details on the case in a news conference Friday morning.
The sheriff's office says this investigation started in Aug. 2019. And, items stolen include baby formula, diapers and energy drinks. Charges for these crimes include grand theft and racketeering, detectives say.
According to the sheriff's office, Florida retailers lost $84,669, of which $10,520 worth happened in Polk County. Publix, Winn Dixie, and Walmart stores in 18 different counties were affected in this scheme, detectives say.
"This is an organized group of criminals working together to steal high-dollar items for their own personal profit, by stealing, and then selling the stolen goods on the black market," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.
These suspects are committing felony racketeering and they belong in prison. Our detectives, FDLE, and the Statewide Prosecutors have done a great job with this investigation—working across many jurisdictions in Florida. Our message is simple: if it’s not yours, don’t take it.
Don’t steal in Polk County and don’t steal in Florida. If you do, and we catch you, you will go to jail and then prison. Organized retail theft is a big problem in Florida costing retailers and consumers millions of dollars.”
Detectives say five of the accused individuals would enter different stores and put dozens of cans of baby formula into bags. To better hide the formula, detectives say they would put baby diapers over the cans. Sometimes they even took energy drink cans, according to the sheriff's office.
Then, without paying, they would take the stolen items and load them into a rental car, detectives say.
Each theft amounted to between $350-900 worth of stolen goods. Detectives say those five people would take the stolen items to the three others accused who gave them cash for the items and then sold them at their stores.
"This is the second group of retail thieves brought to justice by Sheriff
Judd's Deputies and my Statewide Prosecutors this month. Criminals be warned: We will not allow rampant retail theft to harm Florida businesses and force consumers to pay inflated prices to cover the costs of your indolent,
unscrupulous crime sprees," Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said in a statement.
These businesses have to build into their budgets projected losses to organized crime rings and shoplifters. Inevitably, those losses get passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices at the cash register. When crime rings, like this one, steal from retailers, they are essentially stealing from all Floridians."
Detectives say five of the eight people charged were arrested in Hillsborough County on Dec. 16. Another suspect was arrested in Orlando. And, on Thursday, one person turned herself into the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
One person charged, 29-year-old Beatrice Johnson, has not been found and there is a warrant for her arrest in Polk County.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.