PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Fourteen people across South Florida are now facing criminal charges following the conclusion of a nine-month, multi-agency investigation.
Attorney General Ashley Moody, along with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and other law enforcement agencies, announced "Operation On the Fence," which focused on a large retail theft criminal enterprise operating in South Florida.
Moody's office said the criminal enterprise operated in at least nine judicial circuits and caused more than $20 million in losses to more than 20 different retailers across Florida, including Walmart, Target, Publix, Home Depot, Lowes and more.
The stolen items ranged from over-the-counter medications and cosmetics to tools, electronics, Legos and other household items.
This joint investigation involved the partnership of several law enforcement agencies, including the Miami-Dade Police Department, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, the Broward Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Coral Springs Police Department and the Pembroke Pines Police Department.
According to the investigation, dozens of serial retail thieves brought stolen items to a first-level illicit distributor, Arland Cata.
Deputies said Cata purchased the stolen merchandise from the thieves, valued at least $1 million, and paid the criminals 5% to 10% of the items' retail value.
Cata then sold those items to a higher-level distributor, Joshua Markell, according to investigators.
Deputies said Markell owned an Amazon storefront, Hollywoodseller, and used it to sell the stolen items to unsuspecting consumers across the country.
This past year, deputies said the Hollywoodseller Amazon storefront made more than $5 million in sales.
The investigation resulted in law enforcement seizing more than $1.2 million in stolen merchandise that deputies said Markell intended to sell on Amazon and more than 4,800 stolen items.
Deputies said Markell shipped more than 100,000 items to Amazon for the Hollywoodseller this year.
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"We know that nationally we are seeing a rise in thread organized retail crime across the nation," Amanda Bevis with the Florida Retail Federation said.
According to the National Retail Federation, retail crime accounted for $112 billion in losses to retailers nationwide in 2022, forcing some of them to take drastic measures.
Target, for example, announced its closure of nine stores from New York City to San Francisco because of retail theft and organized retail crime the company said threatened the safety of workers and shoppers.
It is important to note, however, that none of those locations are in Florida.
"That doesn't just affect businesses, but it also affects the consumer because consumers are forced to pay more to cover the cost of doing business," Bevis said.
"How do businesses curb that?" asked WPTV reporter Kate Hussey.
"Just this year we passed legislation that increases penalties against the criminals who participate in organized retail crime," Bevis said.
Bevis said these 14 arrests are proof the new legislative changes are working, and small business owners in West Palm Beach told WPTV they hope that's true.
Several store employees told WPTV they deal with theft on a daily basis, including Ben Pardo, a store associate for Vape & Smoke Shop located along Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach.
"Almost every day," Pardo said. "People will come in here, point at something to distract me and then swipe it when I'm not looking."
Pardo said in response that he's had to lock merchandise up, keep it behind the counter, or hide it from view to prevent theft as much as possible.
"When they come in here and someone even takes a bottle of water, we have to file a police report, and that shuts down our business to customers who are coming in here and actually paying for things, and that hurts us," Pardo said.
According to Moody's office, stores impacted by the criminal enterprise include Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Publix, Winn Dixie, Fresco Y Mas, Navarro, Home Depot, Lowes, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target, Sam Ash, Best Buy, Harbor Freight, Guitar Center, Golf Galaxy, Macy’s, BJ's, Costco and various pool supply stores and small music businesses.
Moody's office is charging 14 individuals, including Markell, for involvement in the criminal enterprise. The charges include racketeering, organized retail theft, grand theft, dealing in stolen property and other conspiracy charges based on roles within the criminal enterprise.
WPTV contacted Markell and his attorney for comment, but neither returned our phone messages or emails.
Markell's attorney, however, did tell a judge during her client's first court appearance Tuesday that he did not know the items he was selling were stolen.
There is currently a separate ongoing investigation into the homicide of Cata, according to Moody's office.
Meanwhile, the National Retail Federation tells WPTV they will be hosting a news conference in Washington, D.C. on Thursday to address the issue of retail theft nationwide.