Two women from California have been charged with stealing merchandise from multiple retail stores in Phoenix and surrounding areas. They were arrested after a high-speed chase. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has vowed to prosecute these cases and crack down on organized crime. The suspects are also linked to similar incidents in California and Nevada. Ishanae Morgan Turner faces twelve felony counts, while Devony Candy Reneau faces ten felony counts for organized retail theft. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell established the Organized Retail Theft Taskforce to combat this issue. Arizona Daily Independent reported
California Women Indicted for Organized Retail Theft Spree in Arizona
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Two women from California are facing charges after being accused of orchestrating a series of thefts from various retail stores across multiple cities in Arizona, including Phoenix, Gilbert, Glendale, Queen Creek, Anthem, and Scottsdale. The alleged crime spree involved the theft of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise.
The incidents took place during four separate trips the defendants made from Orange County to the Phoenix area between September and October. Ishanae Morgan Turner (born November 1993) and Devony Candy Reneau (born August 1994) were reportedly involved in stealing items from twelve different cosmetic, pharmacy, and grocery businesses. Their criminal activities came to an end on October 24 when the police attempted to make a traffic stop after spotting the suspects. The women, however, fled at high speed, abandoned their vehicle, and attempted to escape on foot. They were eventually apprehended and arrested by law enforcement.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell expressed her concern over the significant impact caused by the defendants during their short visit to Phoenix. She emphasized that these were not isolated incidents of shoplifting but rather carefully planned acts of organized crime. Mitchell stated that such unchecked activities can become rampant in larger cities, and she is determined not to tolerate them in her jurisdiction. The County Attorney’s Office is fully prepared to prosecute these cases and send a clear message to thieves and their criminal networks that they will be caught and held accountable.
To address the growing issue of organized retail theft, Mitchell established the Organized Retail Theft Taskforce at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in July 2022. The task force aims to enhance communication and collaboration between law enforcement agencies and retailers within the county. By monitoring trends and identifying repeat offenders, the task force takes a unified approach to combat this problem in the community.
Both Turner and Reneau were also suspected in other cases of organized retail theft in California and Nevada, and they both have prior convictions related to similar offenses.
Turner has been indicted on twelve felony counts of organized retail theft and one felony count of unlawful flight from law enforcement. Reneau’s indictment includes ten felony counts of organized retail theft.
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