RLP NEWS
Alameda County, CA — Three individuals have been charged with multiple felony counts related to an organized retail theft operation based out of the Oakland Coliseum Flea Market. Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced the charges today, alleging that the suspects held stolen merchandise valued at over $348,000 from nine retailers, including Kohl’s, Macy’s, PetSmart, Sephora, Sunglass Hut, TJX, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart. The suspects are identified as Octavio Ambriz Valle, 52; Devora Ambriz Valle, 49; and Felipe Del Toro Trejo, 54.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, the trio allegedly engaged in the operation from March 26, 2023, to April 17, 2024, by purchasing and reselling goods obtained from “boosters” who repeatedly targeted retailers. DA Price stated, “For over a year, this enterprise supported criminal networks by requesting and buying specific products from brazen boosters who repeatedly terrorized retailers.”
The trio faces significant potential sentences if convicted: Octavio Ambriz Valle could serve up to nine years, Devora Ambriz Valle up to five years, and Felipe Del Toro Trejo up to three years and eight months in county jail.
This case follows Alameda County’s recent expansion of its Organized Retail Crime Alameda (ORCA) unit, bolstered by $4 million in funding to tackle organized theft. ORCA operates in collaboration with the California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division Organized Retail Crime Task Force, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Ramon Police Department, among other agencies.
ORCA’s role in this investigation highlights the office’s commitment to addressing organized retail crime, which impacts businesses and communities across the Bay Area.