SPRING HILL, Tenn. — Authorities in Spring Hill have arrested Pedro Gonzalez, 30, and Yandy Ortiz, 35, in connection with an organized retail theft operation linked to dozens of similar crimes across the nation. The pair was caught with stolen goods in a Spring Hill shopping district, leading to felony charges.
The investigation began when undercover agents in the shopping district noticed Gonzalez, a Cuban national with only a passport, walking into an Ulta store carrying a backpack. Surveillance footage from the store showed Gonzalez filling the backpack with expensive merchandise. When Gonzalez exited the store with a bulging backpack, law enforcement moved in and stopped the vehicle he was traveling in — a Mercedes driven by Ortiz, who had an expired Florida driver’s license.
During the stop, police discovered that the backpack was filled with high-value products, and a duffel bag in the trunk of the car contained even more stolen merchandise.
SHPD Lt. Mike Foster stated that Gonzalez is linked to 88 organized retail thefts nationwide, totaling over $133,000 in stolen goods. “We are definitely in the right place at the right time,” said Foster. “It’s simple, sitting in the parking lot one day can yield amazing results of criminal activity.”
Both men are being held at the Maury County Jail, facing charges of organized retail crime and felony theft. Maricopa, Arizona police are also seeking to extradite Gonzalez for similar charges.
