Four women have been arrested as part of an organized retail crime operation while two remain at large, Attorney General Tim Griffin announced Monday (Sept. 29).
The women walked out of retail stores with stolen goods valued at $6,794.82. Stores affected were owned by the TJX family of companies and include T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods locations in Cabot, Conway and Little Rock. The suspects knew each other, and some were coordinating their efforts, Griffin said.
“The way they were doing this is brazen,” he said. “They were just literally walking out of the stores – walking out of the store with the goods.”
The merchandise was stolen over the course of a month-and-a-half. Twenty-three felony warrants have been issued.
Griffin said the women were filling up luggage sold in the stores and then rolling it out as if they were walking in an airport. Much of the goods was primarily children’s clothing that is easy to resell. They used bags in stores that don’t sell luggage.
“That may fly in some jurisdictions – not in Arkansas,” he said.
Griffin said TJX stores knew the thefts were occurring in multiple locations and reached out to the attorney general’s office for help. He said the office will gain a better understanding of past criminal activity now that four individuals have been arrested. Further video evidence could link them to other thefts.
Griffin said there are some places where stores and members of the public are reluctant to confront a thief.
Those arrested include: Cleishia Martin, 28, of Jacksonville; Sheneice Robinson, 33, of Little Rock; Balincia Matthews, 27, of Little Rock; and Jewellali Young, 28, of Little Rock.
The two suspects remaining at large are Yasmine Washington, 28, of Little Rock and Imani McSwain, 28, of Little Rock.
Griffin said that since Aug. 1, 2024, 50 individuals have been arrested statewide on 91 felony charges and 46 misdemeanor charges related to retail crime. The largest occurred in Cleveland, a Conway County community where two people have been arrested on two felony charges related to the thefts of $2 million associated with more than 6,000 stolen gift cards.
In addition, 21 individuals have been arrested in Jonesboro on 32 felony charges and 37 misdemeanor charges. Other charges have been filed in Little Rock, North Little Rock, Bryant, Sherwood and Conway.
Griffin said all consumers pay what he called an “ORCA tax,” the acronym standing for “Organized Retail Crime Alliance.”
He said there was no formal organized retail crime statute in Arkansas until this year, when lawmakers passed Act 321 by Sen. Ben Gilmore, R-Crossett, and Rep. Howard Beaty, R-Crossett.
The law made organized retail theft a Class B felony if the value of the stolen property is at least $25,000 stolen in one instance or over the course of 120 days. It’s a Class C felony if the stolen property’s value is less than $25,000 but more than $5,000. It’s a Class D felony if the value is less than $5,000 but more than $1,000.
It defined organized retail theft as when a person, acting in concert with at least one other person:
– Steals consumer goods
– Organizes, supervises, finances, directs, solicits, or otherwise aids in the theft of consumer goods
– Removes, destroys, deactivates or evades an anti-shoplifting or inventory control device
– Remains unlawfully inside a retail establishment after business hours to facilitate the theft of consumer goods
– Uses a wireless telecommunication or other digital or electronic device to steal consumer goods
– Uses a rental or stolen motor vehicle or vehicle of another person to steal consumer goods