Police arrested seven people at a Vancouver Target on Black Friday, interrupting an alleged organized retail theft scheme that may have hit other Targets around the Portland metro area. On Friday, loss prevention workers at Target, 7809 N.E. Vancouver Plaza Drive, were told that a group of people had committed thefts earlier in the day at the Jantzen Beach and Mall 205 Target locations in Portland, according to Vancouver police spokeswoman Kim Kapp. They also attempted to steal from the same Vancouver Target earlier in the day, police said.
“They were working together to steal multiple items,” Kapp said. People matching the descriptions of the seven suspects walked through the Vancouver store and put merchandise into a shopping cart, according to documents filed in Clark County Superior Court. Some of them walked the aisles, talking on cellphones, police said.
Loss prevention employees saw Nigeria A. Crawford, 34, of Portland, push the loaded cart out the door without making any attempt to pay for the merchandise, which included two PlayStation 4s and a pair of Hello Kitty headphones, according to court documents.
Vancouver police went to the store and arrested Crawford on suspicion of trafficking in stolen property, second-degree organized retail theft, second-degree theft and second-degree possession of stolen property. During an interview, she told investigators she was going to sell the stolen items to get rent money, according to court documents.
