The bike-pedaling shoplifter filmed in a viral video that showed him clearing shelves at a San Francisco Walgreens was detained by police Saturday, when the suspect allegedly tried to steal from yet another store just a few blocks away.
Saturday morning at 8:39 a.m, officers at the SFPD Northern Station Street Crime Unit detained Jean Lugo-Romero after the 40-year-old man attempted to rob the CVS store on the 400 block of Haight Street. According to a statement from SFPD, police had been searching for Lugo-Romero in connection with other thefts from local merchants — one of them filmed at the 300 Gough Street Walgreens last week.
Please see the attached statements regarding the arrest of a prolific retail theft suspect ➡️ pic.twitter.com/OVlH800anY
— San Francisco Police (@SFPD) June 20, 2021
Similar to what was seen on the earlier video, Lugo-Romero allegedly cleared the cosmetic shelves of the CVS store Saturday morning, putting an estimated $978 worth of stolen goods inside his duffel bag.
This just happened at the @Walgreens on Gough & Fell Streets in San Francisco. #NoConsequences @chesaboudin pic.twitter.com/uSbnTQQk4J
— Lyanne Melendez (@LyanneMelendez) June 14, 2021
"These items that are being taken — there's definitely an illegal aftermarket," said Lt. Scott Ryan, speaking to ABC 7. "There's definitely an organized effort in order to get these items and sell them and fence them throughout the city, and the state as well as the nation."
Per the police statement, Lugo-Romero was later booked into the San Francisco County Jail on multiple counts of grand theft, entering a business with the intent to commit theft, possession of narcotics, and for failing to appear in court for a prior theft case; Lugo-Romero was also detained for six other incidents — including last week's Walgreens theft — on similar charges; his bail is currently set at $25,000.
With Lugo-Romero's documented shoplifting spree in mind, it's little wonder why local small businesses have described a perceived recent uptick in thefts as "out of control" in San Francisco.
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Image via Lyanne Melendez/Twitter