New retail theft program leads to major arrest in Placer County
ROSEVILLE -- A new statewide program to crack down on organized retail theft in California appears to be working.
The Placer County District Attorney's Office recently filed charges against a man accused of stealing $17,000 worth of merchandise from an Apple Store at the Roseville Galleria.
Silvestre Vincente Juarez-Nino, 34, was arrested on several charges and is being connected to a regional theft operation spanning California and Nevada.
The Placer County District Attorney's Office said his arrest was made possible by the new Retail Theft Vertical Prosecution Program. It was launched in January but this is one of the first major arrests so far.
Thanks to state funding, district attorneys statewide were able to form units made up of prosecutors, investigators and crime analysts to go after organized retail theft rings.
"We've always prosecuted thefts in Placer County, but this new program allows us to do it at a much larger scale and go beyond just the thefts that occur here," Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said. "Expect to see more of this in the days, weeks and months to come."
Juarez-Nino was charged with organized retail theft, grand theft, and conspiracy related to a theft operation. He has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on June 10.