Arrested retail theft suspects believed tied to crimes across Stanislaus, SJ counties
Two Modesto men believed to be part of an organized retail crime group that has struck repeatedly in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties were arrested earlier this month by Manteca police during a theft from the Ulta store in that city.
Bakari Franco, 36, and Rafael Martinez, 29, were arrested June 9 while fleeing the store with $4,037 in fragrances, police said in a Facebook post. A third man involved in the theft escaped and is being sought.
The theft group was being investigated by Manteca police Detective David Brown, working with Ulta Investigators. It is suspected in thefts from the Manteca store on June 5, 6 and 7 in addition to the theft on the 9th. The thieves also targeted the Tillys store in the same shopping center at Airport Way and Highway 120 that week, police said.
Members of the same group are suspected of stealing from the Turlock Ulta on June 9 before going to Manteca, the Facebook news release said. Ulta has more than a dozen outstanding theft cases believed to involve Franco at its Modesto, Turlock, Riverbank, Tracy and Stockton stores over the past year.
On June 9, prior to the Ulta theft in Manteca, Franco and the suspect who escaped stole $500 in shoes from Famous Footwear in the same shopping center, police said. They also stole $500 in tools from the Harbor Freight store a couple of miles away, the news release said. Harbor Freight was unaware of the theft.
Franco and the suspect at large entered the Manteca Ulta. After stealing merchandise, they were running to a car being driven by Martinez when they were confronted by Brown and other Manteca police officers. The two men on foot dropped the stolen fragrances and fled through the shopping center, police said.
Franco was caught and arrested by Officer Daniel Skrimager and his K9 partner. Martinez, sitting behind the wheel of the idling Nissan escape car, was arrested by Brown. Stolen merchandise from Famous Footwear and Harbor Freight was found in the vehicle.
Franco and the group are responsible for over $10,000 in known theft from Ulta stores in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties, according to the news release. Before his arrest in Manteca, Franco had not been identified.
His arrest has helped surrounding law enforcement agencies close dozens of investigations, Manteca police said. Franco and Martinez are suspected of being Fentanyl users “and use retail theft for financial gain,” according to the news release.
The news release gave only the charges Franco faces: organized retail crime, grand theft, and obstructing/resisting an officer. He also was wanted on a felony warrant for grand theft out of Modesto.
This story was originally published June 27, 2021 at 12:08 PM.
