Redlands Retail Theft Bust: 11 Arrested, $7,600 in Stolen Goods Recovered in Targeted Police Operation

Members of the Redlands Police Department’s Community Engagement Team conducted a Retail Theft Operation Jan. 30 at Mountain Grove and Citrus Plaza shopping centers that resulted in the arrest of 11 people and the recovery of $7,600 worth of stolen merchandise from stores including Target, Ross, Victoria’s Secret, World Market and BevMo.

RPD officers worked in cooperation with store employees, loss prevention officers and retail theft investigators from several retail stores.

During the operation, investigators arrested a 28-year-old Los Angeles woman who has been identified in a series of retail thefts throughout Southern California.

Maria Isabel Torres was spotted at the Ross store in Redlands shortly after she was identified as the suspect in an earlier theft of merchandise at a Nordstrom Rack in the City of Riverside. A Nordstrom Rack Retail Theft Investigator provided RPD with a clothing description and photo which were used to positively identify the suspect.

Another woman, Maria Isabel Hernandez, 53, of Los Angeles, acted as a lookout while Torres loaded merchandise into a suitcase and exited the store with the stolen items. Torres and Hernandez used Bluetooth devices to communicate with each other during the theft.

Redlands Police contacted Torres inside her van and recovered $3,400 worth of merchandise taken from the store, along with another $2,600 of merchandise stolen from the Riverside Nordstrom Rack.

Both Torres and Hernandez were arrested. Torres currently has several pending cases for thefts in San Diego, Riverside, and Los Angeles.

The Redlands Police Department Community Engagement Team is committed to enhancing public safety and fostering strong partnerships with local businesses in the Mountain Grove and Citrus Plaza shopping centers and downtown areas.

With a primary focus on retail theft prevention, CET works closely with business owners and employees to implement proactive strategies that deter crime while maintaining a positive and collaborative relationship with the community. To support these efforts, CET regularly conducts Retail Theft Operations aimed at reducing theft-related incidents and ensuring a safe, sustainable environment for businesses, residents, and visitors alike.

Anyone with information regarding crime or suspicious activity is asked to contact Redlands Police Dispatch at (909) 798-7681 ext. 1. Certain non-emergency crimes may also be reported online using the Redlands Police Department’s CopLogic reporting system at www.cityofredlands.org/report-crime. Suspicious activity and tips can be reported using the City of Redlands 311 mobile app available for Android, iPhones, and iPads.