VALLEJO, Calif – Investigators assigned to the California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) Golden Gate Division (GGD) Organized Retail Crime Task Force (ORCTF) have recovered approximately $190,000 in stolen retail merchandise and approximately $24,000 in cash after serving a search warrant on a house in El Sobrante, Calif.
In July of 2023, ORCTF investigators were provided with information regarding a possible illegal fencing operation within the city of El Sobrante. It was alleged that after the theft of retail merchandise, the products were being stored at a residence before being sold at various locations. An investigation was launched, and investigators soon had enough information to obtain a search warrant for the residence.
On Thursday, August 31, 2023, ORCTF and GGD Investigative Services Unit personnel executed the search warrant at the residence. Once inside, officers located stolen retail merchandise from Lululemon, CVS, Walgreens, Target, Rite Aid, Express, TJX, Ross, and Victoria’s Secret, among others. A preliminary estimate put the value of the recovered merchandise at over $190,000 and investigators also recovered over $24,000 in cash proceeds from the sale of the stolen merchandise.
The suspect, 52-year-old Ngoc Bui Bach of El Sobrante was booked into Contra Costa County jail on charges of 490.4 PC – Organized Retail Crime, 487(a) PC – Grand Theft, 496(a) PC – Possession of Stolen Property, and 182 PC – Conspiracy to Commit a Crime.
- Aug 25 – Trio Arrested After Retail Theft by San Joaquin County Sheriff
- Aug 17 – Governor Triples CHP Support to Assist Los Angeles in Organized Retail Theft
- June 22 – AG Rob Bonta Aims to Combat Organized Retail Theft
- Feb 9 – Organized Retail Theft Suspects Targeting Apple Stores Arrested
