San Francisco cops are coming down laborious on alleged repeat offenders accused of repeatedly strolling right into a high-end REI retailer and making off with tons of — and generally 1000’s — of {dollars} in gear.
The three recurring thieves had been arrested after REI teamed up with the San Francisco Police Division’s Organized Retail Crime Process Pressure, which is focusing on repeat offenders and dealing with retailers to construct circumstances in opposition to them.
REI joined the duty pressure’s retail partnership in Might 2026.
The shop started flagging suspected repeat thieves for investigators, permitting cops to flow into their info and shortly reply when the alleged offenders returned.
On July 13, retailer workers alerted police that 45-year-old Erick Rock was allegedly contained in the REI stealing merchandise.
Officers noticed Rock fleeing the shop on a bicycle and recovered practically $1,200 price of merchandise, police stated.
Investigators then related Rock to 12 further alleged thefts — with complete losses topping $7,200, in keeping with authorities.
He was arrested July 16 and charged with second-degree housebreaking, two counts of grand theft and 11 counts of shoplifting.
On July 14, REI reported one other alleged recurring thief.
Officers arrested 52-year-old Johanna Daniels whereas Daniels was fleeing on foot and recovered greater than $600 in merchandise.
Investigators linked Daniels to 10 further incidents, bringing complete losses to greater than $4,700.
Daniels was arrested July 17 on prices together with second-degree housebreaking, grand theft, 9 counts of petty theft with priors and shoplifting.
Then, on Aug. 19, REI reported that one other suspect who allegedly stole from the shop a number of instances per week had returned.
Officers arrested 51-year-old Dennis Kelley, who was carrying $310 price of stolen backpacks.
Investigators related Kelley to 16 different theft incidents on the similar retailer, with complete losses exceeding $8,000.
Kelley was arrested on prices together with organized retail theft, grand theft, second-degree housebreaking and 16 counts of petty theft with priors.
The crackdown comes as California’s Proposition 36 provides police and prosecutors one other device for coping with repeat theft offenders.
Voters authorized the “Homelessness, Drug Dependancy, and Theft Discount Act” in November 2024. The regulation added Penal Code Part 666.1, which permits theft offenses that might usually be misdemeanors to be prosecuted as felonies when a suspect has two or extra prior convictions for qualifying theft-related offenses.
The REI circumstances are a part of a wider SFPD push in opposition to alleged retail-crime regulars.
Throughout Nationwide Blitz Week from Aug. 1 by 9, the duty pressure carried out operations at Stonestown Galleria and varied Complete Meals and Walgreens areas, focusing on “boosters” and “fencers.”
The operations resulted in 19 arrests.
