IRVINE, CA — What started as a wine heist ended in handcuffs for a 32-year-old Anaheim woman who now faces multiple felony charges.
According to the Irvine Police Department, license plate readers flagged a known shoplifter’s vehicle on Saturday, shortly before Pavilions reported nearly $1,000 worth of wine stolen in a grab-and-run incident.
Officers tracked the suspect to a nearby Target, where she was reportedly swapping price tags in the store — a tactic described by police as being performed “with the skill of a sommelier.”
Upon searching her vehicle, police uncovered a cache of stolen wine bottles, multiple stolen IDs, and a small amount of methamphetamine, along with drug paraphernalia.
The suspect, identified as Rosemary Arteaga Morfin, was arrested and booked into Orange County Jail. She faces charges including:
Possession of a controlled substance (with prior convictions)
Identity theft
Possession of drug paraphernalia
Shoplifting
Police noted that her plans to target Irvine retailers didn’t age well — instead, they led to “sour grapes and a stay behind bars.”
