LANCASTER – Shoplifters of all ages were busted during the holiday season as part of “Operation Sticky Fingers.”
The anti-shoplifting operations were part of Lancaster Sheriff Station’s effort to reduce the number of overall crimes that occur in and around Lancaster’s large retail outlets. (Read more here.)
Deputies from Lancaster Station’s TOP/CORE team arrested 43 suspects during five “Sticky Fingers” operations in August, November and December of 2012.
In December, the team conducted an operation at the CVS store on 20th Street West and Avenue J, and a second operation at the Target store on 10th Street West and Avenue K. In November, the team conducted an operation at the Walmart on 20th Street East and Avenue J. And in August, the team conducted two operations – one at the Walmart on 20th Street East and Avenue J and another at the Target store on 10th Street West and Avenue K.
The following is a breakdown of the 43 suspects, now facing charges that range from petty theft to possession of a firearm.
Arrested during two December operations:
- Delonious Broughton, 34, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Evan Machuca, 24, of Indio Ca. possession of marijuana for sales
- Shamel McNichols, 24, of Los Angeles, possession of marijuana for sales
- Danenette Henry, 50, of Lancaster, possession of methamphetamine
- Nicole Stiehl, 22, of Lancaster, felony warrant
- Robert Mehmen, 45, of Lancaster, loitering
- Kyle Denson, 24, of Lancaster, warrant arrest
- Dravell Black, 26, of Lancaster, warrant arrest
- Mshel Brown, 21, of Lancaster, warrant arrest
- Alexander Guzman, 23, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Four juveniles, ages 15 to 17, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Juvenile, 17, of Lancaster, petty theft
Arrested during a November operation:
- Devonn Dorsey, 18 of Lancaster, robbery
- Robert Basurto, 35, of Lancaster, possession of methamphetamine
- Malissa Calhoun, 30, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Dominique Roberts, 20, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Erik Munoz, 22, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Miranda Prescott, 29, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Stephanie Rogers, 24, of Lancaster, petty theft
- Kealai Taisacan, 20, of Lancaster, petty theft
- Four juveniles, ages 13 to 17, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Juvenile, 15, of Lancaster, petty theft
Arrested during two August operations:
- Melvin Chandler, 24, of Lancaster, felon in possession of a firearm/commercial burglary
- Erick McFashion, 23, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Keivette Casey, 23, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Lashon Yancy, 23, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Mercy Lowe, 24, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Lashawn Hill, 33, of Lancaster, petty theft
- Robbie Hutchings, 50, of Lancaster, warrant arrest
- Desiperio Renteria, 49, of Lancaster, warrant arrest
- Female juvenile, 16, of Lancaster, petty theft
- Derrich Wood, 43, of Lancaster, possession of methamphetamine
- Dontae Livingston, 20, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Matthew Durham, 44, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Ebonique Stinson, 20, of Lancaster, commercial burglary
- Joseph Clint, 27, of Lancaster, warrant arrest
Lancaster Sheriff’s Station has many more operations planned for 2013, according to Lancaster Community Relations deputy Michael Rust.
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Meki Cox says
I’m all for PUBLIC SHAMING — if more people KNEW you did a crime – less likely to hire you — less likely to give you chances… Means growing up you either get really good at committing crimes and not getting caught or you don’t do the crime because you don’t want everyone to know what you’ve done.
Either way works for me. I say SHOW OFF ALL CRIMINALS even petty crime… Stop hiding crime – stop telling criminals they can do whatever they want and no one will know… Everyone should know. Criminal’s rights should be taken away and they should have less rights than animals… Otherwise don’t do the freaking crime. When a homeless person who just has no money must sleep in the cold and not eat – and a criminal can have food a place to live — that’s NOT right!
Gladys says
That’s one of the reasons I like the AV Times publishing the arrest reports for Lancaster and Palmdale. I find it interesting that a number of the same kids I have reported to cops many times over the past 3 years are now in jail or on their 2nd and 3rd arrests for drugs, weapons and dui. I wish the parents would have listened to the warnings instead of enabling them. Now , mom and dad can visit them in jail and tell other neighbors that the kid is working out of town. (making license plates)
Pete says
opperation sticky fingers was meant to help stop shoplifting from commercial places heaven forbid to stop home or car thieves from stealing from average av residents or even all the white collar crimes froms these same stores.
Forewarned says
Robbie Hutchings, 50. Is this what our country has come too?! Fifty and stealing? Get on SSI dude like the rest of Obama supporters.
[Removed] says
Really? This is what Lancaster sheriffs dept does? Petty crimes in a retail store when they should have their own “theft prevention”? We should be applauding this? When there is worse things that I have personally seen on these streets and nothing gets done about it? Bravo, bravo glad to see my tax dollars bring used right :/
Thomas says
If you read the article you would see that there were mostly felony arrests made including warrants. If you need me to read it to you let me know [removed].
Gladys says
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and you are welcome on behave of someone who thinks “it takes a village” to stop thieves. Thank you LASD. Throw away the keys.
Captain Obvious says
@[Removed]..
Let me enlighten you a bit. Teams that conduct these operations, in this case the TOP/CORE team, are funded by the City, separately and “over and above” the regular contract, to do special projects. In other words, they are not assigned to respond to normal calls or take reports, etc, etc. However, in an emergency, they are free to, and many times do, respond if they are nearby until the assigned deputy arrives. These teams have existed for many years in both Lancaster and Palmdale. No, they are not there on OT as someone below claimed. The city funds these teams knowing that occasionally problems will arise that need to be dealt with, but a regular patrolman will not have time for, i.e transient sweeps,probation sweeps, illegal alien flower vendors, massage parlors, prostitution, etc. Target and Walmart occupy much of a patrol deputy’s time, so in this case, the operations were simply responding to an ongoing problem: thievery! A deputy would most likely have been called by Loss Prevention when the crook was caught, and a deputy would respond. In this case, the deputies saw most of the crimes with their own eyes and arrested the crooks. A few weeks ago, Rex made a big deal about businesses not pressing charges on theft cases. In fact, most businesses in the Valley are cooperative in prosecuting shoplifters, and all it really costs them (if the crook is caught) is their employee’s time spent in court. True, for a small business, this can still be a burden. In most cases though, the arresting deputy can handle the first few court appearances without the employee. So ye,s [Removed], there are more serious crimes going on. Be sure to call the Sheriff when you see them. But in between those crimes, the smaller crimes I listed above can also make one’s quality of life miserable, and those also need to be handled.
Quigley says
Hey knowledge box Removed….please share how you know “nothing gets done about it”
Gladys says
Why do you insist on chosing a statement someone has made and asking them to prove it. I’m pretty sure [removed] made the statement because he has seen people doing things out in the open and no cops have responded. For some reason you always think someone has to come up with the call tag number so that can be looked up to see what exactly was said and the tone of voice the caller used. blah blah blah. Reality check…not everyone writes down that number and we shouldn’t have to. It gets old, Really. Obviously the Captain must know what calls come in and non response is not a new issue.
P***es me off says
If you want to know what these people do with the items they steal, all you need to do is go on Facebook into one of the local groups and see what they are selling. “New, never worn, ladies jacket. Retails $180, tags still on, will sell for $40”. Come on, buy for $180 and sell for $40?? That is just one. Baby formula? yes they sell that on there too, and that was probably bought with their WIC which we all pay for. Lots of “New with tags” items being sold there. Wish LA Sheriff’s would look into that!
Gladys says
whats the name of the FB Page?
P***es me off says
I would ask you do a search on FB for the pages, as I would rather not give more info for people to purchase these items. Just do a search on FB – include Antelope Valley or AV or sell/resell anything that would pertain to selling/trading. There’s tons of them up here.
Gladys says
Maybe, Buy Stuff, an Sell stuff in da Antelope Valley?
P***es me off says
This is just one site.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/AntelopeValleyBuySellandTrade/
You may not see the posts now, but wait, they’ll show up. They always do. Also, search for other sites such as AV Sell My Stuff, Various odds N ends,
Antelope Valley Free Classifieds. Many many more.
Gladys says
The hightlighted site you gave is a closed site and a number of the members are people (mostly women) who are involved with animal rescue here in the AV. I know a number of them personally and know they are not involved in criminal activity. I will keep an eye on those sites, just out of curiosity. Thanks. I thought they were doing ebay, garage sales, trunk of their cars at my neighbors house, or maybe had a retail set up at the marketplace.
Insane says
**Baby formula? yes they sell that on there too, and that was probably bought with their WIC which we all pay for.**
Unfortunately not. It was not bought with their WIC, it was stolen as well. Probably why it is now under lock and key at every store I shop.
P***es me off says
I think they get it with the WIC then they sell it to get the money. Yes, it is locked up, and that is how they get it to resell on FB. But I agree, that is the reason it is locked up, but thieves always seem to find a way around to get what they want/need.
dave says
I think there punishment should be. Make them hold up signs saying i stole from this store.When they steal from these stores it makes us pay higher rates on the products we buy.and if there stealing from these stores who nos what other crimes they might commit,Great job La County Sherriff
Gladys says
That’s right Dave. If the thief was a minor, mom and/or dad should be out front with them walking back and forth with a sign saying, “my child is a thief” They should be teathered together. This could be their community service instead of Goodwill or animal control.
CONNIE says
Look at the names. When released send them back to L.A.
Uncle Tom says
Actually I would prefer to send them further out into the desert, in no mans land. Death Valley sounds nice for them! Get them out of society!
Tumbled says
I have a dream…that one day…people will quit stealing and go out and get a job to pay for things they want.
The Anti-REX says
Why are my tax dollars paying for theft prevention for retailers that should be providing their own.
Bob says
These are the same low lives who will try taking a woman’s purse out of her shopping cart, or groceries out of her cart in the parking lot while she is strapping her child into a car seat. They are also more likely to be robbing someone later on.
Do you wait till the weeds in your garden are seeding before you pull them out, or do you try to get them when they first show up?
Gladys says
Oh, so the cops are suppose to protect people? A while back someone said you have to protect yourself because the cops are so busy “investigating crimes and taking reports”, they can’t protect you. How do you know someone “tried” to steal a womans purse? Did they steal it and she made a report or does she just think they were going to steal it, so she called the cops?
Jt says
people that commit these larceny crimes are either on there way to bigger or better crimes or are already there. they are not talking about someone who stole a can of infant formula to feed there hungry kid etc. The majority of these items are of a decent dollar value that can be sold/pawned fro quick cash for who knows what. look at some of the charges that were listed possession of narcotics. It is a shame that cops are put to performing this line of work, but it is not done typically with regular patrol units unless seriously needed, it is done by extra officers called in for O.T. Paid for by grants and or stores. Every complains on being singled out and everyone thinks that they deserve everything for free, I am sure the majority of those arrested probably do not even have a job? or do not car to even have one. They have probably been on the free plan most if not all of there lives? You want people to stop labeling everyone based on there actions, well then those committing the actions need to stop! if it looks like a scum bag talks like scum bag it is probably a scum bag. maybe not a major scum bag at the time but a scum bag all the same
Gladys says
@Jt, “You want people to stop labeling everyone based on there actions, well then those committing the actions need to stop!”
I never said to stop labeling anyone. I have always said and totally think thieves do all kinds of things to perfect this skill level, and get up their nerve.
I really love this part of your statment, ” if it looks like a scum bag talks like scum bag it is probably a scum bag. maybe not a major scum bag at the time but a scum bag all the same”
Thomas says
The Sheriffs department generally sets up operations like this based on calls at the location. They target crimes that have occurred at a location
Forward says
News Flash!
Consumers have been paying for retail theft for over 40 years. Most of what you buy is marked-up 300% above wholesale.
wow says
The Same Reason the Business pay taxes, Do you think they don’t pay and are not entitled to to it. Also Progression of crime, that petty theft in a store could lead to your personal stuff being taken from your home or car. that once petty theft suspect now placing a gun in your temple deciding if you could I.D him being the only thought to him/her pulling the trigger. Think about it
wow says
And to add to that, Who do you think takes them to jail when they get caught by store security?? 1 Arrest = min 2 hours off the streets. or operations like this to slow it down!!
OK I’m done