Miami Standard (Baltimore, MD) – Authorities in Virginia and Maryland have taken into custody two adults and a teenager in connection with a series of organized retail thefts, reportedly involving over $190,000 in stolen goods.

Three individuals, including two men aged 21 and 28 from Washington D.C., along with a 17-year-old male, have been charged with multiple offenses in several jurisdictions, including the City of Fairfax, Prince William County, Montgomery County, and Anne Arundel County.

The individuals plotted to target Ulta Beauty stores, specifically aiming to swipe high-end fragrances, carefully selecting their targets and strategizing their escape across different areas. Authorities reported that the individuals were equipped with robust hammers and donned masks and gloves.

According to Deputy Chief Gregory Fried of the Fairfax County Police Department, the suspects are accused of taking more than $190,000, with $50,000 of that amount coming from Fairfax County. Authorities reported that the culprits first stole the fragrance, but once Ulta started securing it in glass cases, the offenders resorted to using a hammer to break the protective barriers and seize the items.

“In broad daylight, while people were in there shopping with their families, they would go in with tools like this [a hammer], startling everyone in the store and grab as much as they could and take away,” said Fried.

In a reported event, an individual raised his waistband to reveal a firearm, according to Fried.

“Every person who was in that store when this crime occurred is also a victim, whether they suffer a loss or not, because those folks are probably not returning to any store anytime soon, because they were in harm’s way because of these violent criminals”, said FCPD Chief Kevin Davis.

Law enforcement utilized advanced technology to monitor the vehicles of the suspects, employing systems that identified the make, model, and color of the cars through license plate recognition. The individuals involved utilized several stolen cars and exchanged various license plates.

“Regional crime crews used to enjoy the ability to cross state lines, county borders, and municipal jurisdictions to commit their crimes. As today highlights, with technology and our regional network, we’re able to stop that, and that ends now,” said Anne Arundel County Police Department Captain Scott Macallair.

Cousar and Rasaan face charges of grand larceny. Cousar faces charges including armed robbery, grand larceny with intent to sell, and conspiracy to commit larceny.

Washington faces serious charges, including felony destruction and conspiracy to commit larceny, along with multiple outstanding warrants for failure to appear.

A teenager faces charges for being a rogue and vagabond, as well as for unlawfully taking and removing a motor vehicle.

Law enforcement agencies from Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, Prince William County, Montgomery County, and Anne Arundel County collaborated to apprehend the individuals behind the crimes.

Officials indicated that the suspects could be linked to further incidents, with additional charges anticipated.

An Ulta Beauty spokesperson: “The safety of our guests and associates is always our top priority, and we remain steadfastly committed to combating organized retail crime. We are grateful to the local authorities for their partnership and collaboration on this investigation, which led to the successful arrest of the individuals responsible for these crimes. We will continue to work closely with law enforcement to build strong cases and bring perpetrators to justice.”