HAGERSTOWN, MD — Police in Hagerstown say 57 individuals have been arrested in a major retail theft operation.
A press release from HPD says the investigation began in June of last year under the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN) Initiative which focuses on identifying, disrupting, and dismantling gangs and violent criminal networks involved in the distribution of illegal drugs, the use of firearms in crimes of violence, human trafficking, or other inherently violent criminal enterprises.
The operation, deemed “Operation Blue Light Special” is tasked with identifying repeat offenders who commit retail thefts from multiple stores, identify where the stolen property is being sold, and ultimately identify the drug networks and organizations that are supplying controlled dangerous substances to those individuals who are committing the thefts, according to the release.
Detectives and uniformed patrol officers conducted surveillance at retail stores as well as on known offenders as part of the six-month operation. This led to law enforcement being able to recover approximately $15,000 worth of stolen merchandise.
Cooperating stores include
Lowe’s
Home Depot
Weis
Martin’s
Wal Mart
Kohl’s
Target
JCPenney
Belk
Charges filed in the first phase of the operation against 57 individuals include misdemeanor theft, felony theft, vehicle theft, sale and possession of controlled dangerous substances, and possession of firearms.
Many of the individuals were arrested or charged on multiple occasions. Some of the arrests were for individuals with unrelated warrants. Two individuals arrested during the initiative as well as two of the handguns recovered during the initiative were linked to a homicide in another jurisdiction.
The initiative highlights the nationwide problem of retail theft and how it correlates with drug trafficking and violent crime.
