MODESTO, Calif. — Four Sacramento County residents were arrested Monday after police say they carried out a string of organized retail thefts in Turlock and Modesto, stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise before being stopped outside a WinCo Foods.
According to the Modesto Police Department, Turlock officers alerted Modesto police around 2:08 p.m. on Oct. 6 that a theft crew had just hit the Dick’s Sporting Goods in Turlock and was likely heading north to Modesto. Loss prevention teams from both stores quickly coordinated, and within minutes, employees at the Modesto Dick’s Sporting Goods spotted the suspects’ arrival.
Surveillance footage showed the suspects’ vehicle parking far from the entrance. Two individuals entered the store while two remained outside as lookouts and getaway drivers. Inside, the suspects grabbed high-value merchandise “with no regard for pricing,” police said.
Store staff and loss prevention officers intervened, causing the suspects to flee and abandon about $1,300 in unpaid items.
Using citywide cameras and license plate recognition technology, Modesto’s Real-Time Crime Center tracked the suspects’ vehicle to WinCo Foods at 2200 Plaza Parkway. When officers arrived, the group was exiting with a shopping cart full of unpaid groceries valued at $533.45.
As the suspects attempted to drive away, officers deployed a mobile spike system that deflated both passenger-side tires, forcing them to surrender. A vehicle search uncovered about $1,900 in stolen items from Dick’s Sporting Goods, in addition to the stolen groceries from WinCo.
Police identified the suspects as Bryan Tillisbaca, 28; Isaiah Collier, 28; Temajemi Bacafrye, 25; and Jamar Hundley, 25, all Sacramento County residents.
Each suspect faces multiple felony charges, including burglary, attempted burglary, grand theft, receiving stolen property, organized retail theft, and conspiracy. Due to the organized nature of the crimes and their out-of-county residence, detectives obtained a bail enhancement, setting bond for each at $750,000.
Lieutenant Kalani Souza praised the swift coordination between multiple agencies, including the Turlock Police Department, Modesto Patrol, Traffic, RTCC, and Investigative Services Division.
“This is a great example of how timely communication and teamwork can stop organized theft groups in their tracks,” Souza said. “This crew targeted multiple cities, but thanks to strong interagency cooperation, their operation ended here — not in Modesto.”
