A shoplifting ring targeting Texas stores is busted. The suspects are accused of stealing more than $10 million dollars in goods from retail stores across 6 states.

29 suspects are accused. 25 of them have been arrested while four others are on the run.

Tulsa County Sheriff's Office
Tulsa County Sheriff's Office
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They are accused of being involved in a multi-state shoplifting ring targeting over-the-counter medications.

What Stores Were Targeted by the Thieves?

Prosecutors believe these defendants teamed up to steal mostly over-the-counter medications from several retailers including Whole Foods, Sam's Club, Costco, Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, and GNC. These suspected thieves are accused of thefts in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. The stolen items were allegedly sold online.

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Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin says “Consumers and businesses incur a high price for thieves who commit larcenies and profit by selling their stolen goods to well-organized theft rings.”

His department began checking out this case in 2019 when management of a pharmacy shared suspicions about bulk thefts from some stores.

What Drugs Were the Thieves Going After?

Prosecutors believe 48-year-old Linda Been from Osage, Oklahoma was the suspected ringleader in this multi-state scheme. She is also listed as Linda Gann and is suspected of organizing this theft ring back in 2018.

 

The group would allegedly recruit shoplifters and give them a list of items they wanted. The shoplifter would then be paid and they would also get expense money if they traveled out of state. Some of the drugs included on the “wish list” were Allegra, Flonase, Mucinex and Nexium. Prosecutors allege Been also paid the shoplifters' bond if they got caught.

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