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Police break up organized retail theft crime ring in northern Virginia
Fairfax County Police said they broke up an organized retail theft crime ring late last month. FOX 5’s Josh Rosenthal reports from Tysons with more on this case and what authorities say is a growing problem nationwide.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - Fairfax County police said they broke up an organized retail theft crime ring late last month.
"You’re talking thousands and thousands of dollars in theft," Sgt. Chris Rekas said Friday, hours after police publicized the case on social media.
Three men from New York – Da Lin, Zujin Qiu, and Zhiyong Wang – were arrested in connection to the case. Investigators allege they operated the crime ring at Tysons Corner Center and elsewhere, using fake information to fraudulently purchase tens of thousands of dollars of items, only to return them at different stores — thereby converting the merchandise into store credit and cash.
Photo Credit: Fairfax County Police Department
"It’s something that we’re addressing not only in Fairfax County but in the national capital region," Rekas. explained.
According to the National Retail Federation, organized retail crime is a serious problem nationwide. They released a report last week, noting that organized retail crime is a growing problem, both in scope and complexity.
Virginia cracks down on organized retail theft
Virginia is cracking down on retail theft with brand-new criminal penalties.
In Virginia, lawmakers recently passed legislation making organized retail theft a felony.
"It particularly hits our small business owners, our retail shop owners," Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares told FOX 5 in February.
In the most recent case in Fairfax County, police said Lin, Qiu, and Wang were arrested in possession of five fraudulent IDs, 154 items of merchandise valued at $33,000, and 35 gift cards valued at $20,000.