$100k in stolen merch, including Lululemon, recovered in massive retail theft operation

A sweeping police investigation led to multiple arrests and the recovery of $100,000 in stolen merchandise.

Spearheaded by the Santa Monica Police Department, the three month investigation also included specialized enforcement teams and regional law enforcement partners.

In all, the operation resulted in the recovery of thousands of stolen items taken from multiple stores across Southern California, including a Lululemon store in the City of Santa Monica. 

As a result of the operation, multiple search and arrest warrants were issued across Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

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“The thefts occurred between June and October 2025. Investigators determined the suspects were part of a coordinated retail crime network that stole merchandise and resold the items at secondary locations,” a press release from the Santa Monica Police Department read. “Search warrants were served in Van Nuys, Sylmar, Fontana, and Jurupa Valley.”

A photo included with the press release showed pricey clothing, cosmetics, backpacks, wallets, Stanley water bottles, and more as part of the massive haul.

The release further broke down what all was recovered:

• In Sylmar, more than 120 items of stolen merchandise were recovered, with an estimated value of approximately $11,000. 
• In Fontana, thousands of stolen items were recovered, with an estimated value of approximately $65,000. 
•  In Jurupa Valley, approximately $24,000 in stolen merchandise and suspected counterfeit items were recovered. 

In total, the multiple agency operation also resulted in the arrest of five individuals who now face charges of possession of stolen property with intent to sell — and Santa Monica PD said the investigation remains open.

In September, wild video captured a massive group of 20 masked, black-clad thieves storming a jewelry store just outside of San Francisco in a smash-and-grab operation, making off with close to $1 million in merchandise in around a minute.

In the video, they are seen smashing glass display cases and grabbing up the pricey jewelry before they shot their way out when a security door automatically tried to trap them inside, the New York Post reported.

Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s soft-on-crime policies in the Golden State allowed retail theft to skyrocket for years, before finally cracking down on it.