11 arrested, $7,600 worth of stolen merchandise recovered during retail theft operation

REDLANDS, Calif. - Eleven people were arrested during a retail theft operation conducted by the Redlands Police Department. 

The operation, which was conducted Jan. 30 at Mountain Grove and Citrus Plaza shopping centers, resulted in the recovery of $7,600 worth of stolen merchandise from stores including Target, Ross, Victoria’s Secret, World Market and BevMo.

In total, 11 people were arrested. 

During the operation, investigators arrested a 28-year-old Los Angeles woman who was tied to a series of retail thefts throughout Southern California.

Police said Maria Isabel Torres was spotted at the Ross store in Redlands shortly after she was identified as the suspect in an earlier theft at a Nordstrom Rack in Riverside. 

Torres allegedly loaded merchandise into a suitcase while another woman, Maria Isabel Hernandez, acted as a lookout.

Redlands Police said they found 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 has several pending cases for thefts in San Diego, Riverside, and Los Angeles.

It's unclear where and when the additional suspects were arrested.