(From top left, clockwise) Adeliya Nassybullina, 30, Austra Bauzinskaite, 34, Przemyslaw Skiba, 31, and Lukasz Karasinski, 37, arrested for stealing over $3 million from electronics stores on almost daily basis. (Picture: Torrence Police Deptartment) Source: Supplied
- Four accused of stealing almost daily since 2009
- Crime gang hit mainly electronic stores
- Pictures: Police mugshots from the 1920s
A TEAM of alleged shoplifters stole at least $3 million of goods, mainly electronic, on an almost daily basis for four years.
Ausra Bauzinskaite, 34, Adeliya Nassybullina, 30, Lukasz Karasinski, 37, and Przemyslaw Skiba, 31, from Chicago, were arrested by Torrance Police in California and charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to commit commercial burglary and grand theft.
"They've been across the country in several states, and I'm sure the total amount stolen is even higher. This is just what we know of," Torrance Police Sergeant Robert Watt told ABC News. "More than 17 commercial burglaries in L.A. and Orange County alone. That's a lot."
"During interview, the suspects described themselves as gypsies from Poland. They were trying to pay off a $2 million debt."
The suspected thieves were arrested on March 8 in Hawthorne in Los Angeles County after four months of surveillance by the FBI and police.
They have been charged with 17 thefts at Apple stores in Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, Canoga Park, Glendale, Brea, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Irvine, along with a MacMall in Torrance, a Microsoft store in Mission Viejo, and other businesses across Los Angeles and Orange counties, including Best Buy, Costco, PetSmart, Sam's Club, Sports Authority and Wal-Mart, Daily News Los Angeles reported.
In addition, the group allegedly attacked businesses in Colorado, Washington and Florida, Sgt Watt added.
The four pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned last week.
A fifth member of the alleged shoplifting team was deported earlier this month back to Poland on different charges, police said.
Police say the group would target a store by coming up with a "story" and entering the store all together. Four of the individuals would allegedly make a wall for the person stealing the merchandise, blocking the view of surveillance cameras, police said. That person would then conceal the item under an oversized dress or coat, according to court documents.
"Their main item of choice was hard drives, some of them ranging from $500 to $900," Sgt Watt told ABC News.
"They were in and out of stores within three to four minutes. Once they left with the stolen items, the group would mail the items back to Chicago to be fenced for cash."
Police say the ring's thefts appear to be daily and have been going on since 2009.
All four suspects remain in custody in county jail without bail and have been placed under US Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold.
