On August 21, 2023, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Commercial Crimes Division commenced the Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCT) in an attempt to resolve the issue of “Flash-Rob” method retail crime incidents conducted by multiple suspects targeting various retail establishments throughout the Los Angeles region. The ORCT consists of LAPD Detectives and Officers, and Detectives from Torrance, Beverly Hills, Burbank, and Santa Monica Police Departments.
One of the ORCT strategies in resolving organized retail crime is the utilization of plain clothes operations where officers work with the retail stores in identifying, arresting, and disrupting retail theft. On November 22nd through November 25th, Thanksgiving week, ORCT conducted three plain clothes operations on the following dates and locations:
· November 22, near the 5500 block of Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood Division
· November 24, near the 9800 block of South Alameda Street, Southeast Division
· November 25, near the 14000 block of Riverside Drive, Van Nuys Division
Personnel from ORCT and the division of occurrence were involved in the operations.
All suspects who were arrested for shoplifting were observed by the retail stores’ Lost Prevention officers who notified the plain clothes police officers in the operation. The plain clothes officers then notified uniform officers to come in and effect the arrest of the suspects.
Suspect-1 Meekins, Suspect-2 Love, and Suspect-3 Berry were arrested for robbery, near the 9800 block of South Alameda Street. Meekins and Love had entered the business, posed as customers, grabbed several boxes of shoes, and began to walk out of the store without making any attempt to pay for the shoes. An employee engaged Meekins and Love and attempted to convince them not to leave the store without paying for the shoes. Meekins and Love threatened the employee, and in fear for his life, the employee made no further attempts to stop them.
Meekins and Love ran to a getaway vehicle which was being driven by Berry. Plain clothes officers saw the robbery and called in uniformed officers from Southeast Division to stop the vehicle. The suspects were stopped and arrested before they could drive off the property.