Three Los Angeles residents believed to be part of a trans-national crime ring have been arrested in connection with the theft of a victim's wallet from the shopping cart of a Ventura County supermarket.
Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.
The alleged theft occurred around 11 a.m. Oct. 31 in the 700 block of North Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.
The address corresponds to the location of a Whole Foods store, though officials did not disclose the name of the business.
"Deputies on scene determined that an unknown suspect distracted the victim while a second suspect stole the victim's wallet from her purse that was sitting in a shopping cart the victim was using," according to a VCSD statement.
The suspects -- later identified as Luis Alberto Melo Correa, 60; Ramona Del Rosario Silva Gacitua, 47; and Maria Del Milagro Hernandez Puig, 66 - - allegedly used credit cards from the stolen wallet to make purchases at a nearby mall soon after the theft was reported.
Detectives began investigating the theft and fraudulent credit card use.
"Through various investigative techniques and collaboration with loss prevention employees from the involved retail businesses, investigators were able to identify three subjects associated with the crime," officials said.
All three were taken into custody on Wednesday in Los Angeles and taken to the Ventura County Pre-trial Detention Facility, where they were being held in lieu of $150,000 bail each.
They are scheduled to be arraigned on Friday and face possible charges of burglary, identity theft and conspiracy.
"Additionally, Silva Gacitua had three outstanding warrants for similar crimes committed in two other California jurisdictions," according to the VCSD. "All three suspects are believed to be part of a trans-national organized crime group."
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM