Five nabbed for organized criminal activity, retail theft

By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com

Yessenia Nunez

Yessenia Nunez

Liliana Guerrero

Liliana Guerrero

Ida Betancourt

Ida Betancourt

Diana Cordova

Diana Cordova

Angel Hernandez

Angel Hernandez

Five individuals were arrested on Saturday after allegedly attempting to steal $1,175.60 worth of merchandise from a local retail store.

It was at approximately 7:19 p.m. on June 8 when officers with the San Benito Police Department responded to the Bealls Department Store, located on the 800 block of West Business 77, in reference to a theft.

According to the police report, an employee witnessed two females enter the store and later stuff shirts inside their bags.

When the employee called out to the suspects, they immediately ran out of the store and into a grey Dodge Charger, police reported. The suspects’ vehicle was later located by police. The accused shoplifters were identified as 27-year-old Ida Betancourt, 22-year-old Angel Hernandez, 20-year-old Liliana Guerrero, 18-year-old Yessenia Nuñez and 20-year-old Diana Cordova. The stolen merchandise, 25 U.S. Polo shirts, was also located in the trunk of the vehicle under a spare tire.

According to SBPD Detective Rogelio Banda Jr., some of the individuals arrested are suspected to be involved in another theft which took place at the beginning of the month.

“Some of those females who are in our custody are suspected of being involved in a prior incident that occurred at the beginning of the month,” Banda said. “Investigators have an open investigation involving that incident. We should expect more arrests to follow as a result of this incident. Apparently it was the same vehicle used. It is still an open investigation. The investigator assigned to the case was working with store employees trying to positively identify some of those females who were detained. We are expecting more arrests as a result of this incident.”

All five individuals were charged with organized criminal activity and organized retail theft, both of which are state jail felonies. They were arraigned by Judge Benjamin Yudesis who set their bonds at $20,000 each. Immigration and Customs Enforcement also placed a detainer on Nuñez, Guerrero and Cordova. All five were transported to Cameron County Jail.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2013/06/12/five-nabbed-for-organized-criminal-activity-retail-theft/

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