Several people have been arrested and a business was raided by members of a Los Angeles task force assigned with battling shoplifting and other retail crimes in the area.
The previously unnamed business is located on the 2700 block of West Manchester Boulevard in Inglewood and has been on the radar of the Los Angeles Organized Retail Crime Task Force for several months, officials said.
Photos released by police on Wednesday identified the business at Tilt., located at 2720 West Manchester Blvd.
In March, another local business reported to the Los Angeles Police Department that it had been the victim of theft and police were able to eventually identify the Inglewood business as the alleged purchaser of the stolen goods.
On Tuesday, ORCTF investigators were informed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department that a “flash robbery” had just occurred at a store in East L.A.
The Sheriff’s Department said it had been investigating the suspects for previous crimes and knew they had sold stolen goods to the Inglewood store.
A description of the suspects was provided to task force investigators, who staked out the Inglewood store as they waited to serve a search warrant.
During that time, a black BMW pulled up and three people who matched the suspect descriptions exited with boxes of shoes and clothing and then entered the business.
Once the suspects were inside, investigators served the search warrant and began making arrests.
In total, five people were arrested including 42-year-old Aaron Isreal of L.A. and 36-year-old Trevian Holmes of Inglewood, as well as 24-year-old Brian McKing, 21-year-old Jahiem Gillett and 24-year-old Devontay Pinson all of Los Angeles.
Isreal faces possible charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Holmes faces possible charges for receiving stolen property and McKing, Gillett and Pinson face charges for robbery.
During the search, officers recovered a firearm, an undisclosed amount of cash and multiple items that were stolen from local stores. The owners of the stolen merchandise have since been able to identify and recover their items.
The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information about this or other retail crimes is urged to contact the LAPD tip line at 877-527-3247. Anonymous tips can be provided online or by calling Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
Videos or photos that may be useful in the investigation can be sent to the Organized Retail Crime Task Force via email.