LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lexington police are celebrating after a winter shoplifting blitz resulted in criminal charges against 50 people.
Operation "See You When You’re Stealing,” a joint effort between Lexington Police and the Kentucky Organized Retail Crime Association (KyORCA), took place last week. From Dec. 9-11, officers and loss prevention personnel focused on individuals stealing at stores along the Nicholasville Road corridor, with the following results:
- 52 individuals criminally charged, ranging in age from 14 to 61 years old
- 47 arrests made
- $5,337 in stolen property recovered
The recovered merchandise included toys, clothing, electronics, and grocery items.
During the blitz, officers arrested some suspects who worked in pairs to carry out the alleged thefts. In other cases, suspects were seen attempting to conceal merchandise, removing security tags, or simply trying to push a cart full of items quickly out of a store.
While the majority of charges placed against individuals as part of this operation were Theft by Unlawful Taking (Shoplifting), other charges included Burglary 3rd, Possession of Burglary Tools, and Engaging in Organized Crime.
