PHOENIX (AZFamily) – Phoenix Police have dismantled a sophisticated organized retail crime ring that spanned multiple states, arresting three suspects connected to the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise.
The suspects—Marcos Ortega Hernandez, Yuli Esther Degante Vigueras, and Nephtali Santiago-Garcia—have all been indicted on felony charges following an extensive investigation.
Police say the ring was responsible for stealing more than $160,000 in products, primarily from Bath & Body Works stores across the Phoenix Valley. Investigators also linked the trio to similar crimes in Texas and Nevada.
According to authorities, Hernandez—acting as a delivery driver—diverted nearly $200,000 worth of merchandise intended for major retailers such as Old Navy, Victoria’s Secret, Gap, and Banana Republic, delivering them instead to the couple Vigueras and Santiago-Garcia. In return, he allegedly received around $72,000 from the couple.
The investigation revealed that the Glendale home of Vigueras and Santiago-Garcia functioned as a black-market storefront, where stolen goods were resold via online platforms. A police search of the residence uncovered over $355,000 in unopened Bath & Body Works products and $5,000 in Victoria’s Secret items. The couple was arrested on-site.
Hernandez was later taken into custody on June 26, when a similar search turned up additional stolen goods.
Phoenix Police Assistant Chief Ed DeCastro praised the operation, stating, “Organized crime has no place in our city… I could not be prouder of the professionalism, determination, and teamwork displayed by those detectives, civilian investigators, and officers involved in this case.”
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell also addressed the press, highlighting the county’s focus on organized retail crime. “Since 2022, we’ve successfully prosecuted nearly 900 ORC cases, recovering millions in stolen goods,” Mitchell noted. “Last year alone, we secured 303 convictions—a record.”
