3 Suspects Arrested in Mall Thefts Linked to Cartel

Three Los Angeles residents were arrested at a Ventura mall on suspicion of being part of an international cartel responsible for organizing burglaries during store hours, Ventura police said Saturday.

Zamir Neira, 21, is being held at Ventura County Jail on suspicion of criminal conspiracy and multiple counts of burglary. Olfa Reyes, 52, and Humberto Sanchez, 39, are being held at the jail on suspicion of multiple counts of burglary. Neira and Reyes are being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and Sanchez is being held in lieu of $103,000 bail. All three are scheduled to be arraigned Monday.

Undercover officers from the Los Angeles Police Department conducted a surveillance that started in Los Angeles and ended Thursday afternoon at the Buenaventura Plaza on South Mills Road, police said.

Officers watched the suspects steal about $2,000 worth of clothing from Big 5 Sporting Goods, Rave and Contempo Casuals, police said. The three suspects were arrested as they were preparing to leave the mall and all the property was recovered, police said.

The suspects belong to a cartel that has organized burglaries during store hours, police said. The cartel, responsible for large losses of jewelry and clothing, is accused in the attempted theft of $10,000 worth of jewelry from Lynn’s Jewelry in Ventura about a month ago, police said. Seven of the eight suspects in that incident were arrested at the time and remain in custody pending trial, police said.