On Monday, police officers at the Irvine Spectrum were patrolling the parking lot when they saw a suspicious van with expired license plates from another state, according to the Irvine Police Department.
The IPD’s Spectrum Security partners watched the suspects as they entered several stores. The loss prevention officer for one of the stores watched the suspects steal some items and alerted the police officers.
The suspects were stopped as they tried to leave. Officers searched the van and discovered stolen items from Lululemon, Sephora, Victoria Secret, and Ralph Lauren, valued at over $4,000.
Dayana Rosa Hernandez, 55, Luz Dary Soto, 52, both of Los Angeles, and Michel Rivera Taborda, 20, of Anaheim, were arrested for organized retail theft and booked at Orange County Jail.
Here are the penalties the suspects in the Irvine Spectrum case may face under California’s 2025 laws on organized retail theft:
- Organized Retail Theft is now a permanent felony
- Defined under Penal Code 490.4.
- Applies when two or more people work together to steal merchandise.
- No expiration date on the statute.
- Felony charges based on aggregated value
- Prosecutors can combine the value of stolen goods from multiple stores or incidents to meet the $950 felony threshold.
- In this case, the total value was over $4,000, well above the threshold.
- Possession of stolen goods with intent to sell or return
- Possessing more than $950 in stolen merchandise with intent to sell, exchange, or return is a standalone felony offense.
- Prosecutors do not need to prove the suspects knew the goods were stolen.
- Retail Theft Restraining Orders
- Courts may issue restraining orders preventing convicted individuals from entering affected stores or chains for up to two years.
- Probation and Sentencing Enhancements
- Probation for petty theft and shoplifting can now last up to two years.
- Sentencing enhancements may apply based on the total value of stolen goods.
- Jail Time
- Felony organized retail theft can result in up to 3 years in jail per offense.
- Additional time may be added if tools or techniques were used to bypass security systems.