Redlands Police arrest 11 in retail theft operation

REDLANDS, Calif. – Redlands police arrested 11 people and recovered $7,600 worth of stolen merchandise during a retail theft operation at Mountain Grove and Citrus Plaza shopping centers on Jan. 30, authorities said.

The Redlands Police Department’s Community Engagement Team (CET) conducted the operation in coordination with store employees, loss prevention officers and retail theft investigators. Stolen merchandise was recovered from multiple stores, including Target, Ross, Victoria’s Secret, World Market and BevMo, city spokesperson Carl Baker said in a Feb. 6 news release.

Among those arrested was Maria Isabel Torres, 28, of Los Angeles, who has been linked to a series of retail thefts across Southern California. Investigators identified Torres at the Ross store in Redlands shortly after she was suspected of stealing merchandise from a Nordstrom Rack in Riverside.

A Nordstrom Rack retail theft investigator provided Redlands police with a clothing description and photo, which officers used to confirm Torres’ identity.

Maria Isabel Hernandez, 53, also of Los Angeles, acted as a lookout while Torres placed stolen merchandise into a suitcase before exiting the store, police said. The two allegedly used Bluetooth devices to communicate during the theft.

Officers contacted Torres inside her van and recovered $3,400 worth of merchandise stolen from Ross and another $2,600 worth of items taken from the Nordstrom Rack in Riverside.

Both women were arrested. Torres has multiple pending theft cases in San Diego, Riverside and Los Angeles, police said.

The CET works closely with local businesses to prevent retail theft and foster public safety, according to the Redlands Police Department. The unit regularly conducts retail theft operations to deter crime and maintain a safe shopping environment for businesses, residents and visitors.