A Directed Enforcement Team (DET) officer was doing extra patrol checks at the Los Olivos Shopping Center on Wednesday afternoon in response to past distraction thefts, according to the Irvine Police Department.
The police officer saw a man and woman exit Whole Foods and walk to the Starbucks, where the man then changed his clothing.
The eagle-eyed police officer observed the duo enter a car occupied by two other individuals, which then exited the shopping center.
The officer pulled over the vehicle and discovered an unreported stolen wallet inside.
During the investigation, the officer determined that the wallet had just been stolen from a shopper at Whole Foods by distraction theft.
One suspect had a warrant, and all four were believed to have been involved in previous organized retail crimes.
They were arrested and booked at Orange County Jail with bail enhancements for multiple felonies.
Criminals should think twice about committing crimes in Irvine…
