Police in Virginia and Maryland arrested two adults and a teenager after they reportedly stole more than $190,000 in a string of organized retail robberies.
Damari Cousar, 21, and Rasaan Washington, 28, both of Washington, D.C., along with a 17-year-old juvenile male, were charged with various felonies in Fairfax, Prince William County, Montgomery County, and Anne Arundel County.
The suspects would loot Ulta Beauty stores with the intention of stealing pricey perfume, mapping out their targets and plotting their escape across jurisdictions. Investigators reported that the suspects carried large hammers and donned masks and gloves.
The defendants allegedly took more than $190,000, including $50,000 coming from Fairfax County, according to Gregory Fried, Deputy Chief of the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD). According to police, the thieves initially stole the perfume, but when Ulta began securing it behind glass cases, the suspects began smashing the protective glass and grabbing it.
“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.
According to Fried, in one incident, a suspect lifted his waistline and revealed that he was carrying a gun.
“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.
Officers monitored the suspects’ cars using license plate readers, which contained artificial intelligence that identified the make, model, and color of the vehicles. The suspects used many stolen automobiles and changed various tags.
“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 were charged with grand larceny. Cousar also faced charges of armed robbery, grand larceny with intent to sell, and conspiracy to conduct theft.
Washington faced charges of criminal destruction and conspiracy to commit theft, along with multiple outstanding warrants for his failure to appear.
The adolescent was charged with rogue and vagabond, unauthorized taking, and removal of a motor vehicle.
Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax Police Department, the Prince William County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department all collaborated to find the culprits responsible.
More charges are pending, according to officials, who warned that the suspects might be involved in more incidents.
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.”
Detectives in McLean are urging anybody with information about the case or other incidents to phone 703-556-7750 and select option 2. The Fairfax County Police Department stated that a reward of up to $5,000 may be offered.
