POLK COUNTY, Fla. -- About 20 people were arrested in connection with what may be Florida's largest theft ring blamed for stealing up to $100 million worth of products from the state's most popular stores, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators said the thieves or "boosters" used specially designed bags and purses to steal the millions of dollars worth of products.
"We estimate that (the theft ring) has stolen somewhere between $60 and $100 million worth of products," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. "They stole these products from Publix Supermarkets, Winn Dixies, Albertsons, Sweet Bay, Wal-Mart and Target."
Judd said the ring specialized in high-end health and beauty aids and cosmetics.
The crimes were witnesses during a seven-month undercover investigation.
"We would find that the thieves would work in pairs," Judd said. "They would go into a store and in less than three minutes could walk out with as much as $4,000 or $4,500 worth of merchandise."
Judd said the thieves were highly skilled.
"They were so good at what they did, you could literally watch them steal and not be aware of what they were doing," Judd said.
Judd said there was video of a supermarket supervisor walking down an aisle past the thieves while they were stealing.
"It's not that the supervisor wasn't paying attention, it was that they were just that good at what they did," Judd said.
The 18 people investigators said are connected with the crime are being charged with racketeering, which is a first-degree felony with a sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
"We watched them on eight different shopping sprees in one day," Judd said. "You can do the math."
Investigators said once the thieves gathered the stolen merchandise, they would take it to Terry and Ronald Parrish.
"The Parrish's would then repackage some of the items," Judd said. "They ran eBay accounts and they had a location at the Webster Flea Market. They literally sold millions of dollars worth items."
Investigators said the thieves or "boosters" used specially designed bags and purses to steal the millions of dollars worth of products.
"We estimate that (the theft ring) has stolen somewhere between $60 and $100 million worth of products," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. "They stole these products from Publix Supermarkets, Winn Dixies, Albertsons, Sweet Bay, Wal-Mart and Target."
Judd said the ring specialized in high-end health and beauty aids and cosmetics.
The crimes were witnesses during a seven-month undercover investigation.
"We would find that the thieves would work in pairs," Judd said. "They would go into a store and in less than three minutes could walk out with as much as $4,000 or $4,500 worth of merchandise."
Judd said the thieves were highly skilled.
"They were so good at what they did, you could literally watch them steal and not be aware of what they were doing," Judd said.
Judd said there was video of a supermarket supervisor walking down an aisle past the thieves while they were stealing.
"It's not that the supervisor wasn't paying attention, it was that they were just that good at what they did," Judd said.
The 18 people investigators said are connected with the crime are being charged with racketeering, which is a first-degree felony with a sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
"We watched them on eight different shopping sprees in one day," Judd said. "You can do the math."
Investigators said once the thieves gathered the stolen merchandise, they would take it to Terry and Ronald Parrish.
"The Parrish's would then repackage some of the items," Judd said. "They ran eBay accounts and they had a location at the Webster Flea Market. They literally sold millions of dollars worth items."