Nearly two dozen people are facing almost 40 charges after a shoplifting sting at the Mall of Georgia.
Gwinnett County police say they conducted the sting at stores in and around the mall over Memorial Day weekend.
Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson learned that officers from four precincts worked directly with store managers to attempt to catch shoplifters in the act.
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Throughout their two days at the mall, police arrested 19 people and handed out 12 felony charges and 27 misdemeanors.
“You will be punished. It’s going to ruin your summer, and you’re going to have consequences,” said Cpl. Juan Madiedo with Gwinnett County Police.
Police say they recovered $53,13.75 in stolen merchandise from 11 stores.
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Police say they timed the operation strategically as students prepared for summer break.
“It’s definitely a message we want to send out to community,” Madiedo said. “We want to make sure that kids are out of school, they’re not trying to go and shoplift.”
Investigators say two of the women, Demesha Brown and Jasmine Harris, each had 12 active warrants from several other jurisdictions.
They say Brown had an outstanding warrant on a RICO charge in Cherokee County.
Gwinnett police say similar operations will keep happening throughout the summer.
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Top Row (L-R): Alejanda Aular, Andrea Aular Petit, Cesar Balcazar, Demesha Brown, Michelle Castaneda Middle Row (L-R): Matthew Hardin, Jasmine Harris, Rickie Jace, Israel Nicholas, Christopher Parker Bottom Row: Jeillanie Reyes, Jayda Rogers, Latoya Simmons, Shawn Stein, Carla Wheeler
Alejandra Aular
Andrea Aular Petit
Cesar Balcazar
Demesha Brown
Michelle Castaneda
Matthew Hardin
Jasmine Harris
Rickie Jace
Israel Nicholas
Christopher Parker
Jeillanie Reyes
Jayda Rogers
Latoya Simmons
Shawn Stein
Carla Wheeler
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