Shoplifting crackdown at popular Lexington stores leads to multiple arrests

More than two dozen people were charged and more than $4,900 was recovered in a three-day undercover police crackdown on shoplifting at major Lexington stores.

After working with retail loss prevention in local stores from May 16 to May 18, detectives arrested 27 people and cited eight more on charges of theft and burglary.

Detectives from the department's property crimes section, violent crimes unit, and intelligence unit partnered with the Kentucky Organized Retail Crime Association (KORCA) for their biannual “Shoplifting Blitz” that focused on Hamburg, Richmond Road and New Circle Road shopping corridors.

Partnering stores in the investigation were Kohl’s, Meijer, Lowe’s, Marshall’s, Wal-Mart, Target, Old Navy, Victoria Secret and Ross in Hamburg; Kroger, Wal-Mart and Lowe's on Richmond Road; and Bryan Station Kroger and North Park Wal-Mart off New Circle Road.

Police Sgt. Jervis Middleton said the department pairs with retail crime association twice a year — once in May and once around the holiday season in December — to conduct the shoplifting "blitzes."

"By doing that and sending out releases and sharing the photos, the detectives hope to prevent others from coming into stores and shoplifting,” Middleton said.

Several of those arrested were also charged with failure to appear in court on other charges.

Those charged include:

• Jessica Burdette – theft, criminal trespass
  
  
• Leroy Gordon – theft
  
  
• James Honshell – theft, failure to appear warrant
  
  
• Elijah Luna – theft
  
  
• Michael J. Smith – failure to appear warrant
  
  
• Michelle Lee Neal – theft, drug paraphernalia possession
  
  
• Jamie Allen Campbell – failure to appear on four separate warrants
  
  
• Kristy Campbell – burglary
  
  
• Brandon Tillman - theft
  
  
• Felicia Champlin – theft, receiving stolen property
  
  
• Calistia Osborn – theft
  
  
• Harmony Streeval – theft
  
  
• Jonathan N. Edwards – theft
  
  
• Brandon Brown – theft
  
  
• Tanesha Payne – theft
  
  
• Lisa Higgins – theft
  
  
• Johnny Dale Bennett – two charges of controlled substance possession
  
  
• Victoria Lynn Searcy –theft
  
  
• Paris Green – theft
  
  
• Stephen Green – theft, possession of burglar tools
  
  
• Zanobia Simpson – failure to appear warrant
  
  
• Jamie L. Moore – failure to appear on two separate warrants
  
  
• Anessia Allen – theft
  
  
• Michael Hocker – theft
  
  
• Savanah Evans – theft
  
  
• Derek Cheves – failure to appear warrant
  
  
• Areyon Long – theft, failure to appear warrant
  
  

This story was originally published June 1, 2018 at 1:29 PM with the headline "Shoplifting crackdown at popular Lexington stores leads to multiple arrests."