MARY ESTHER, Fla. — A 43-year-old man, Claudio Solano-Olascoaga, was arrested Tuesday morning in connection with an organized retail theft case that spanned multiple stores in Okaloosa County and surrounding areas.
The arrest follows a months-long investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, along with retail loss prevention officers. Deputies executed a search warrant at a home on Hilltop Road in Mary Esther, where they apprehended Solano-Olascoaga.
Authorities believe Solano-Olascoaga was the mastermind behind a coordinated theft operation targeting local businesses. From October 9 to October 26, 2024, he allegedly worked with one or more accomplices to steal merchandise, resulting in significant financial losses for several stores.
According to the arrest report, Solano-Olascoaga and an accomplice entered a hardware store, each placing items into separate shopping carts. The accomplice would leave the store and park his cart in an aisle. Meanwhile, Solano-Olascoaga would pay for his items, leave the store, and load the purchased items into a vehicle. He would then hand his receipt to the accomplice, who would re-enter the store, take the cart he had staged, and leave with the merchandise while presenting Solano-Olascoaga’s receipt.
In one case, after executing the theft, Solano-Olascoaga and his accomplice returned to the store, where they used the receipt to fraudulently obtain a refund for the stolen items.
Stores targeted in the scheme included Lowe’s Home Improvement locations in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, and Crestview, with losses totaling $3,381.
Solano-Olascoaga was arrested without incident and charged with second-degree felony larceny. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have indicated that additional charges may follow.
