Four Arrested in Connection to Organized Retail Theft at ULTA Store in Riverbank
Riverbank Police Services deputies successfully apprehended four suspects involved in an organized retail theft incident at the ULTA department store located at Claribel Road in Riverbank.
The incident, which occurred on the evening of Monday, May 23, resulted in an estimated merchandise loss exceeding $5,000.
According to a press release by the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, upon receiving the theft report, deputies responded to the scene. Store clerks provided a physical description of the suspects who were observed fleeing the store, as well as a description of the getaway vehicle. This incident aligns with a pattern of organized retail thefts that have recently plagued numerous businesses across the state.
Collaborating closely with loss prevention officers, patrol deputies undertook enhanced security measures and improved response strategies to combat such thefts. The suspects’ vehicle was located westbound on Kiernan Ave near the Salida community. An attempt to initiate a traffic enforcement stop was met with resistance, as the suspects chose to evade law enforcement and refused to pull over.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, the pursuit ended when the suspect vehicle collided with a curb, rendering it inoperable, within a mile of the initial encounter.
Multiple suspects attempted to flee the scene on foot, but were quickly apprehended by the deputies. The stolen merchandise was successfully recovered from within the vehicle.
The identities of the suspects were positively established through a thorough review of the store’s video surveillance footage. The suspects are identified as follows: Zekoya Jackson, 21; Samia Florence, 22; Kimayah Ratliff, 21; and Ahniyah Shans, 22.
The four individuals face charges of organized retail theft, grand theft, criminal conspiracy, and the driver additionally faces charges of evasion. Prior to their booking at the Public Safety Center, each suspect received medical clearance from healthcare professionals.
It was unclear at press time whether any of the suspects had retained an attorney.
