On Saturday, police officers at the Spectrum were alerted to two women who had stolen several items from Sephora and then fled from the store, according to the Irvine Police Department.
Our Spectrum security and loss prevention partners directed the officers, leading to the arrest of the two women. Officers searched their vehicle and found more stolen property from neighboring cities, recovering over $12,000 in total.
Marcela Leuro, 38, of Huntington Park, and Sharon Nicol Calderon Pote, 20, of Hawthorne, were arrested for grand theft, conspiracy, and organized retail theft.
Irvine shopping centers are staffed with extra police officers for the holiday season. They are making a list and checking it twice!
Here are the likely penalties the suspects face under California law:
- Grand Theft (Penal Code §487)
- A “wobbler” offense (can be charged as misdemeanor or felony).
- Misdemeanor: Up to 1 year in county jail.
- Felony: 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in state prison.
- Enhanced penalties if theft involved coordination with others (organized theft).
- Organized Retail Theft (Penal Code §490.4)
- Now a permanent felony in California.
- Prosecutors can aggregate stolen goods from multiple incidents to exceed the $950 threshold.
- Felony penalties: Up to 3 years in state prison, plus sentencing enhancements for high-value thefts (e.g., over $50,000 adds extra prison time).
- Courts may issue restraining orders banning entry to retail stores for up to 2 years.
- Conspiracy to Commit Theft
- Treated as a felony when linked to organized shoplifting rings.
- Penalties include longer sentences and higher fines than isolated theft cases.
Additional Notes:
- Aggregation rules allow combining stolen property values from different cities or stores to meet felony thresholds.
- Repeat offenders or those involved in coordinated theft rings face harsher penalties under 2025 updates.