Workers at a Tucson restaurant were buying and reselling items stolen from nearby businesses, Tucson police said.
Three workers at Pollo Feliz, 4001 N. Oracle Road, have each been arrested and jailed on suspicion of trafficking in stolen property, the Tucson Police Department said Tuesday in a news release.
Police say they recovered thousands of dollars in stolen property, including tools, clothing, shoes, diapers and electronics.
Lydia Grijalva-Velasquez, 52, Fabian Rodriguez Rios, 61, and Francis Sophia Vasquez, 45, were arrested and booked into the Pima County jail.
The restaurant remained open Wednesday but attempts to reach the owner were unsuccessful.
A routine shoplifting case in December 2022 unraveled the operation, the release said.
Eventually police brought in agents from Homeland Security Investigations as well as investigators from the affected nearby businesses to work together on the probe, the release said.
Investigators say employees at the north side eatery allegedly paid known shoplifters for stolen items
On one occasion in late September, investigators say Rodriguez Rios was observed by authorities receiving eight bags of diapers from a group of homeless individuals behind the restaurant and put them in his truck, according to a complaint filed in Pima County Justice Court.
Rodriguez Rios, who is married to Grijalva-Velasquez, then drove the stolen diapers to his house, the complaint says.
On Nov. 2, Vasquez made contact with a homeless man behind the restaurant who later told police he had sold stolen items that heβd acquired at a homeless camp to Vasquez for half the retail price, the complaint says.
Further surveillance revealed the restaurant employees were reselling the stolen goods both from their residence and on online account belonging to Grijalva-Velasquez, the court complaint said.
A search of Rodriguez Riosβ house on Nov. 29 revealed a large amount of shoes, fragrances, wallets and other stolen items, the complaint says.
Vasquez told authorities during an interview that same day that all the employees at the restaurant were purchasing stolen items, but she was trying to stop it, the complaint says.
She also denied purchasing any stolen goods on Nov. 2, when authorities say they witnessed her interacting with a man behind the restaurant.
A search warrant of her house turned up a large amount of still-tagged clothing and diapers, the complaint said.
Simultaneous search warrants were executed Nov. 29, at the restaurant and two residences, resulting in the recovery of thousands of dollars in stolen property, including tools, clothing, shoes, diapers and electronics, the complaint said.
