CONTACT: BETH STONE 508-584-8120
PLYMOUTH – A woman has been arraigned for her role in an organized retail crime ring to steal nearly $1,500 in fragrances from a beauty store, Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz has announced.
Today in Plymouth District Court, Johana Margarita Luis Quispe, 34, of Queens, New York, was arraigned on one count each of Larceny Over $1200, Organized Retail Crime, Shoplifting by Asportation, and Conspiracy. She pleaded not guilty to the charges and was ordered held by Judge Julie Bernard on $100,000 cash bail with the condition that she surrender her passport. The Commonwealth had recommended that Quispe be held on $500,000 cash bail.
On August 31, Plymouth Police were dispatched to the Ulta Beauty store at Colony Place for a report of a larceny from the store. The manager of the store reported that two females and a male entered the stole and together allegedly stole 34 individual bottles of fragrance totaling approximately $1,443.72. Two individuals were picked up on Ulta security cameras entering the store and walking over to the fragrance/bath section of the store. They then began to place different bottles of perfume into their bag. The pair put the items in specially lined bags to thwart theft detectors at the store.
In total, the investigation found that the three people together, including Quispe, allegedly stole a total of 28 bottles of various face serums.
Quispe was arrested on August 14 after an alleged organized retail crime theft in New Jersey. Quispe was released with a summons to appear in court and failed to appear.
This case started when an investigation was commenced between the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office (PCDAO), Hingham Police and Plymouth Police and Ulta Organized Retail Crime investigators. This resulted in an arrest warrant issuing for Quispe. The PCDAO approved extradition back to Massachusetts, and Plymouth Police returned Quispe to Massachusetts from New Jersey last Friday.
In January, DA Cruz formed an Organized Retail Crime Task Force to work together with retailers, Chambers of Commerce, law enforcement, and others to address the issue of store theft. The task force is next scheduled to meet on November 21.
“Retail theft collectively costs communities billions annually, undermining local economies and threatening the viability of storefronts in neighborhoods across the country,” DA Cruz said. “Equally concerning, in recent years organized and habitual theft has become more brazen and violent, raising safety concerns for employees and customers, disrupting lives, jeopardizing livelihoods, and undermining the vitality of communities and neighborhood shopping districts.”
Quispe is next scheduled to return to court on December 12.