Photo: Stock Image
By F. Scott Faulkner
Camarillo, CA
A month-long investigation by the Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force
culminated in the arrest of two Los Angeles residents who used girdle-style devices to shoplift
merchandise from retail stores.
In early December, Under Armour Outlet store’s asset protection personnel alerted detectives to
repeated thefts at their Camarillo and Carlsbad stores, resulting in an estimated $4,500 loss. A
couple of weeks of investigation led VCSD detectives to identify Jose Mujica, 61, of Van Nuys,
as a suspect and determined that he was working with a female accomplice.
On December 17th, Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force detectives surveilled
Mujica and his accomplice–later identified as 52-year-old Los Angeles resident Anyela
Corredor-Casallas–exiting the Under Armour store at the Camarillo Premium Outlets. According
to VCSD spokesman Sgt. Todd Welty, “as the pair entered their vehicle, detectives intercepted
them and discovered that both were wearing girdles stuffed with 17 pairs of jeans stolen from
another outlet store.
The immediately ensuing search of Mujica’s vehicle led to the discovery of “additional
merchandise, burglary tools, and security tag removers,” all indices of “organized retail theft
operations.”
Mujica and Corredor-Casallas were taken into custody and transported to Ventura County Jail,
where they were booked on charges of conspiracy to commit organized retail theft, felony
burglary, felony grand theft, and possession of burglary tools. Corredor-Casallas was released on
her own recognizance while Mujica was held on $20,000 bail.
