A Florida woman has been arrested for being part of a retail theft ring that allegedly caused over $100,000 in losses across multiple businesses, including Ulta, CVS, Walgreens, and liquor stores. Authorities say 20-year-old Lourdes Rodriguez is the third person taken into custody as part of this organized stealing spree.
Lourdes is facing serious charges, including two counts each of organized retail theft and grand theft. According to the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, she allegedly committed over a dozen thefts in counties like Brevard, Martin, Palm Beach, Sarasota, and Seminole, racking up a total of $15,000 in stolen goods.
Here’s how it reportedly worked: Lourdes would enter stores, stash items in a bag she brought or one she grabbed from the store, and then walk out without paying. Authorities say her favorite targets were beauty products, skincare items, and oral hygiene supplies.
The investigation started in Martin County, where Sheriff William Snyder said Lourdes’ pattern of hitting store after store became clear. “Once she was arrested, we realized she was going from one store to another, stealing items,” Sheriff Snyder explained. “Now she’s facing harsher penalties for repeatedly shoplifting.”
One report claims she didn’t just hit different Walgreens stores—she even went back to the same ones just days apart!
This isn’t her first run-in with the law, either. Court records show she’s had several misdemeanor theft charges before and even faced accusations of failing to show up in court. She was first arrested in October, but this week’s charges are more serious and could lead to up to five years in prison if she’s convicted.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody weighed in on the case, saying this arrest is a big win for the state’s fight against organized crime. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we’ve dismantled a massive theft ring,” she said. “Criminal organizations should know—Florida has the tools to investigate and shut you down. You will pay for your crimes.”
Authorities believe the retail theft ring was well-organized, and Lourdes’ arrest brings them closer to breaking the entire operation. For now, investigators are still piecing together the full extent of the group’s activities and the damage they caused to Florida businesses.
