NYPD and Walnut Creek, CA Police arrest a suspect in a bicoastal $500,000 Organized Retail Crime case
An East Bay woman who allegedly nabbed more than half a million dollars worth of merchandise from high-end retailers on both coasts was arrested Tuesday by New York City and Walnut Creek police officers, authorities said. Officers arrested Lakisha Pettus, 40, of Pittsburg on suspicion of grand theft following a joint operation between NYPD and WCPD detectives. Around 9 a.m. Tuesday, detectives arrived at Pettus' house in Pittsburg with a search and arrest warrant for stolen property. The warrant stemmed from a retail theft investigation conducted by the detectives, who learned that Pettus "victimized several high-end retailers." She is suspected of stealing more than $500,000 worth of clothes and jewelry, police said. Detectives also found a firearm at her house. Pettus was booked into Martinez Detention Facility on $1,000,000 bail. sfgate.com

UK: Thieves raid London Gucci store and make off with $150,000 worth of goods
The footage shows a car pulling out of the junction opposite the store, Harriet Street, before racing over the zebra crossing and plowing into the entrance. The vehicle then reverses, comes to a stop, and four people all wearing dark jackets spring out and run into the shop carrying bags. Around 40 seconds later, the first of the group is seen sprinting out of the store, and he is soon followed by three accomplices, making their way back down Harriet Street. From the CCTV cameras, it appears the group then get into another vehicle that is parked at the junction. dailymail.co.uk

New Orleans, LA: Mandeville Police bust $6,500 check-counterfeiting ring
Mandeville Police working with the U.S. Secret Service have arrested 10 people for involvement in a counterfeit check cashing scheme. The scheme's alleged mastermind, Kevin Pierce has been booked on racketeering, money laundering, forgery, bank fraud, theft and attempted theft counts. Pierce is accused of producing counterfeit checks and then recruiting others to take the checks to a Mandeville convenience store, where they would cash the checks and split the proceeds with Pierce, according to Det. Sgt. Kevin Covert of the Mandeville Police Department. The thefts began in August and lasted through mid-October. The ring was able to steal about $6,500 by using the counterfeit checks. A total of 10 people are facing theft, attempted theft, bank fraud, forgery charges. theneworleansadvocate.com


San Antonio, TX: 20 to 25 suspects Pull Halloween Masked Flashmob thefts
San Antonio Police investigate the scene of a mass robbery on the Northwest Side Sunday, Nov. 1, 2015. About 30 people, some of them dressed in Halloween costumes, rushed into a gas station early Sunday morning on the Northwest Side and then fled with unknown amounts of merchandise. The group then drove to another area C-Store and repeated the attack. Police say one gun shot was fired during the incident. ksat.com


Simi Valley, CA: Thieves Steal More than $10K in iPads, iPhones From Apple Store; 2 stores hit the same day
Police were searching Wednesday for four men suspected of stealing more than $10,000 in merchandise from two Southern California Apple stores. The robbers walked into the Apple Store at 1555 Simi Town Center Way in Simi Valley just before 7 p.m. on Tuesday and grabbed several iPads and iPhones from the display counter and fled, according to the Simi Valley Police Department. Police said they believe the same four men also robbed an Apple Store in Valencia. It was unclear which Apple Store location was robbed first. Police did not confirm if any customers were in the store during the robbery but said some degree of physical force was used during the robbery. nbclosangeles.com

Brooklyn, NY: Couple Steals Cash, Cigars, Condoms in Bushwick Burglary Spree
A man and a woman are being sought in a bizarre burglary spree in which they allegedly cut locks to get into small Brooklyn businesses and steal thousands of dollars of merchandise as varied as cigars, condoms and eyeglasses, police say. Surveillance video captured the couple in one of the burglaries, which have taken place in Bushwick. The burglary spree began the night of Tuesday, Sept. 29, when the suspects cut the lock to the basement storage area of Maxout Discount Store and Grocery, damaged store equipment and fled with over $4,000 in cash, $70 worth of cigars, 15 boxes of condoms worth about $130 and 60 pairs of headphones worth about $600, police said. Less than a month later, on Oct. 21, the couple targeted the same store, this time cutting the locks to the front door and then getting away with over $10,000 in cash, police said. Last Thursday, Oct. 29, at about 4 a.m., the suspects cut the locks on the front door to Vista Vision Optical at 337 Knickerbocker Ave. and fled with $10,000 worth of eyeglass lenses and frames. nbcnewyork.com

Dubai: 4 sentenced to 1 year in Prison for the theft of 286 laptop computers, valued at over $124,000