Police said that they have caught members of a “high-end theft crew” who took items from a department store in Virginia without paying and then scattered when confronted by police — with one person found hiding in a dumpster.
It happened on July 13, when a loss prevention team alerted police that the group left the Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase, Maryland, in a gold Chevrolet Impala with Pennsylvania tags.
Fairfax County officers assigned to the Tysons Urban Team learned that the vehicle had gone into Virginia and was nearby. They found the car heading to the Saks Fifth Avenue in McLean.
Members of the group entered the store, where police said they chose several expensive handbags and other luxury merchandise. The group then made its way toward the exit without paying, police said in a news release.
Two people ran when approached by the store’s loss prevention team; while police, who were already in the area, took one person into custody.
After a brief search, police found one suspect in a nearby dumpster. Police soon found the driver of the car, as well.
Police said they recovered some $15,000 worth of property, including goods from another store.
They arrested three people from Philadelphia: Ericka Williams, 26, Amin Shamsid-Deen, 30, and Tunisia Amina Shamsid-Deen, 32. Williams and Amin Shamsid-Deen face charges of grand larceny, larceny with intent to sell or distribute, conspire to commit larceny, organized retail theft and obstruction of justice/resisting arrest.
Tunisia Amina Shamsid-Deen is charged with two counts of grand larceny, larceny with intent to sell or distribute, conspire to commit larceny, organized retail theft, possession of schedule I/II drug and disregarding signal by law-enforcement officer to stop/eluding police.
All three are being held without bond at the Fairfax County jail.
