A San Francisco woman, Aziza Graves, 43, has been convicted of stealing over $60,000 worth of merchandise from the Target store at Stonestown Galleria. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office reported that Graves executed her thefts by pretending to pay for items at self-checkout machines.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins condemned Graves’ actions, stating, “Individuals such as Aziza Graves commit egregious thefts through brazen and repeated conduct that greatly impacts retailers’ ability to operate and serve the general public in their area. These crimes demand accountability, and we need to send the message to others who engage in open and brash thefts that, with the support of our local law enforcement partners, our office will continue to pursue and prosecute those involved.”
Graves reportedly stole from Target “dozens” of times between October 3, 2020, and November 16, 2021. Her method involved taking items from the shelves to the self-checkout, scanning each item, inserting a small amount of money, and leaving without paying for the remainder.
The San Francisco Police Department conducted surveillance on Graves after she left Target with stolen goods. They observed her selling the stolen merchandise at UN Plaza to individuals known to deal in stolen items, as well as unsuspecting passersby.
Arrested in November 2021, Graves was initially accused of stealing more than $40,000 worth of merchandise over 120 visits to Target. San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott labeled her “a particularly brazen and prolific retail theft offender.”
Graves was charged with eight felony counts of grand theft and 120 misdemeanor counts of petty theft. Ultimately, she was convicted of one felony count of grand theft and 53 misdemeanor counts of petty theft, which included one theft incident at Abercrombie & Fitch and the rest at Target.
Currently, Graves is not in custody and faces a potential sentence of up to three years in state prison.