Over 2.5 Million Dollars in Property Seized from South American Theft Ring

"Over 2.5 Million Dollars In Property Seized From South American Theft Ring"
 

Los Angeles: In an effort to reduce and combat crimes against property in the Los Angeles Area, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Transit Bus Division in conjunction with Burglary Auto Theft Division, began a pickpocket detail approximately 3 months ago. During this time detectives conducted surveillance of known South American theft groups. On several occasions the surveillance detail observed Patricia Pineda, a female Hispanic, 44 years of age, transport clothing from known theft suspects to her business, Patty’s Fashions, which is located at 14841 1/2 block of Burbank Boulevard. Upon surveillance of Patty’s Fashions, the detectives observed Pineda’s husband, Gabriel Ibaceta, a male Hispanic, 57 years of age, loading bags and boxes of clothing in and out of the back door of Patty’s Fashions.
Subsequent to their surveillance, detectives obtained a search warrant for Pineda and Ibaceta’s personal residence, the business Patty’s Fashions, and a storage locker located in the 10400 block of Monogram Avenue. Between all three locations over 2.5 million dollars in clothing, handbags, furniture and property have been seized. Clothing manufactures: Victoria Secrets, American Eagle, Gap, Banana Republic, BeBe, Coach, Prada, Ambercrombie and Fitch, Ann Taylor, Ann Klein, Polo and Structure have been notified to identify and recover their property.
Both Pineda and Ibaceta have been arrested for Penal Code Section 496, Receiving Stolen Property and are being held on $2,000,000.00 dollars bail.
The seized merchandise is available for viewing by the media, today March 5, 2003, between 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm at Patty’s Fashions located at, 14841 ½ Burbank Boulevard, Los Angeles.
Anyone with any information regarding this case should contact Detective Emma Ramirez, Burglary Auto Theft Division, at 213-485-2524, or Sergeant Bruce Vermaat, Transit Bus Division at, 213-922-5138. On weekends or during off-hours, please call the 24 hour toll free number at the Detective Information Desk, 1-877-LAWFULL, (1-877-529-3855).
This press release was prepared by Officer Renee’ Montoya, LAPD Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.