Ahead of the holiday shopping season, Governor Kathy Hochul and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced a landmark indictment in the ongoing fight against organized retail theft. The indictment alleges a sprawling, multi-year, international operation that saw upwards of $2 million in retail goods stolen by organized crews. The case includes the first-ever charges under Governor Hochul’s newly enacted law criminalizing the fostering of stolen goods sales, a key component of Governor Hochul’s five-point plan to fight organized retail theft. The new protections against organized retail theft signed into law with the FY25 Budget included over $40 million for law enforcement including dedicated Retail Theft Teams within State Police, whose undercover units led to this indictment. It also prioritized protecting frontline workers by increasing the penalties for assaulting a retail worker.
“New Yorkers are sick and tired of the retail theft that has been plaguing our businesses and communities — I promised we would fight it head on, and now we are seeing results,” Governor Hochul said. “Earlier this year, we gave law enforcement and store owners the tools and support needed to help meet this challenge, and today with our partner District Attorney Katz, we’re taking down a massive retail theft ring stretching from New York City to Maryland to the Dominican Republic. Keeping New Yorkers safe is my number one priority, and as we enter the holiday shopping season, we will continue focusing our efforts to ensure people feel safe walking into stores and business owners can focus on serving their customers instead of locking up everyday items like toothpaste and deodorant.”
