Major Retail Theft Ring Uncovered; Numerous Racketeering Arrests Made

On Thursday, January 24, 2008, law enforcement arrest teams throughout central Florida served five search warrants and arrested (up to) 18 people related to a multi-million dollar retail theft ring and fencing operation involving health, beauty, and cosmetic (HBC) products and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. All the suspects were arrested today, some of which were already in jail. They are each being charged with one count of Felony Racketeering which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and one count of Felony Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, among other current and/or pending charges.

"Today, our task force brought to justice the retail theft rings uncovered in the state of Floridaâ€"and perhaps the nation," said Sheriff Grady Judd. "What started as a simple shop lifting investigation turned into the discovery of a far flung criminal conspiracy that counted on common street criminals to steal millions of dollars of merchandise to supply other criminals selling on the Internet and in flea markets. Because of our talented investigators and team work with multiple agencies, these thieves and criminal resellers will be going away to prison for a long, long time."

"The brazen nature of this operation is startling and I applaud law enforcement, especially Sheriff Judd and his task force, for their determined efforts to bring this crime ring to an end," said Attorney General Bill McCollum. "My Office of Statewide Prosecution will ensure that these racketeering charges are prosecuted with the full strength of the law."

The arrests come at the end of a seven-month long investigation that began June 26 2007 when two thieves, Rita Maddox, currently incarcerated in the Hillsborough County Jail, and Elisha Cordle of Dover were arrested by Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies for stealing approximately $4,500.00 in merchandise (mainly Oil of Olay products) from the Shepherd Road Publix Supermarket in Lakeland, Florida.

The initial investigation into the retail theft revealed that the suspects were part of a larger organized criminal enterprise that operated in multiple jurisdictions. The PCSO contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and Attorney General Bill McCollum's Office of Statewide Prosecution and an investigative task force was formed.

"Operation Beauty Stop" uncovered the retail theft ring in which high-end HBC and OTC medicines were stolen from retailers throughout central Florida, including Publix, Winn Dixie, Sweet Bay, Albertson's, Wal-Mart and Target. The investigation further uncovered that the theft and fencing operation had been operating for approximately five years and is linked to retail loss statewide.

The task force investigation revealed an organized criminal conspiracy where by suspects knowingly bought, and in many cases ordered, stolen property from a network of retail thieves for later resale on the Internet, at flea markets, and other locations. Theresa Parrish, the "Tampa Fence" and one of the central figures of the theft ring, often dictated the types of itemsâ€"providing a "shopping list"â€"she wanted from the retail thieves known as "Boosters." The items consisted of OTC medicines such as Prilosec, Zantac, Pepcid, and Tylenol; and HBC items such as Crest White strips, Gillette and Fusion Razor Blades, Oil of Olay, Aveeno, and Revlon products. The Boosters, consisting of mainly two-person teams entered Publix and other retail stores mainly throughout Polk, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Hernando, Pasco, Lake, Orange, Manatee, St Johns, Charlotte and Sarasota counties stealing these types of products in large amounts. The items were concealed in bags that were designed to help aid in hiding the stolen items. The Boosters would exit the stores, passing cash registers and not purchasing any items. (Many of the thefts were captured on store video surveillance.)

The Boosters took the stolen items to Theresa Parrish (she was assisted by her husband, Ron Parrish) at her warehouse business in Tampa, located at 4809 Busch Boulevard, where they received cash in exchange for the stolen goods. Parrish had requested deliveries as often as every day or every two days and has paid Boosters as much as $3,000.00 per delivery. Parrish operates Lola's Discount Health & Beauty, where she advertises and sells the stolen items on her E-Bay website, and booths at The Big Top Flea Market in Hillsborough County & the Webster Flea Market.

Additionally, Parrish was observed by law enforcement making deliveries of these stolen products to Vincent May, her ex husband, who operates a booth with signage stating "Medicine Man" at the International Market World a/k/a Auburndale Flea Market. May is a Florida registered violent sexual predator.

Parrish also was observed by law enforcement making deliveries to the "ring leader," Steven Coburn (and his wife Kerry) in Seminole County, Florida. The Coburns consistently received stolen merchandise from Parish and are at the top of the theft ring. They operate a business called Saleawaysavings (695 Wilma Street, Suite 121, Longwood, FL) formerly known as Sun Coast Tool & Liquidation operated in the Lake Mary/Longwood, Seminole County, Florida area. They resold the stolen products via the Internet and to other sources.