SANTA ROSA, Calif. — A coordinated law enforcement operation targeting organized retail theft resulted in 17 arrests across multiple Santa Rosa businesses, authorities announced Friday.
The Santa Rosa Police Department led the operation in partnership with the Petaluma, Cotati, and Healdsburg police departments, along with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department and the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office. The crackdown focused on stores located at the Santa Rosa Marketplace mall and along Santa Rosa Avenue between Burt Street and Baker Avenue.
Dozens of officers and detectives worked closely with retailers including Target, Marshalls, Old Navy, Ulta, and Ross. Store employees were briefed ahead of time and given guidance on how to quickly report theft activity during the operation.
Three suspects were arrested before the official start of the operation after an undercover detective observed suspicious activity inside a Marshalls store. Police said a man and woman known to store staff as repeat shoplifters were seen working together, with one loading merchandise into a cart near the exit while the other acted as a lookout. After noticing they were being watched, the suspects abandoned the items and moved between nearby stores.
The suspects were later detained and identified as Dylan Bacon, 47, of Kelseyville, and Lakeport residents Jessica Alexius, 39, and Sadieann Hamaji, 45. Police said Alexius and Bacon have multiple prior theft convictions, making them eligible for felony charges under California’s recently enacted Proposition 36, which enhances penalties for repeat theft offenders. All three were booked into the Sonoma County Jail on felony organized retail theft charges.
Throughout the day, undercover detectives and investigators from the District Attorney’s Office were stationed inside targeted stores, supported by the department’s Real Time Crime Center, which monitored live surveillance feeds to identify suspects. Arrest teams detained suspects after they exited stores, processing them at a mobile booking station before transporting them to jail.
By the end of the operation Thursday night, 17 people had been arrested for retail theft and related offenses. Recovered items included electronics, clothing, sporting goods, LEGOs, and other merchandise. Police also seized narcotics, cell phones, and a price-tag label maker.
Additional suspects booked into the Sonoma County Jail included individuals from Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Sonoma, Hidden Valley Lake, Sebastopol, and Upper Lake. Several others, including two juveniles, were cited for petty theft and released at the scene.
Police also added felony organized retail theft and grand theft charges to the case of Kenneth Torres, 49, of Santa Rosa, who was already in custody for violating post-release supervision. Investigators linked him to a 2023 Ulta theft totaling nearly $3,000.
“Organized retail theft impacts businesses, employees, and consumers across our community,” Santa Rosa Police Chief John Cregan said. “This operation demonstrates our commitment to working collaboratively with regional partners to protect our local economy.”
The Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office received a $2.05 million state grant in 2023 to combat organized retail theft, funding a specialized unit that has supported multiple similar enforcement operations over the past year.
