Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Daniel Milbrandt
File# T232800034 / T232910107
Update:
On February 12, 2024, at 2:31 p.m., an additional theft occurred at the same business with similar circumstances to the prior two thefts in October 2023. The Palm Desert Investigations Bureau and Los Angeles Police Department-Organized Retail Crime Task Force (LAPD ORCTF) identified the suspect as Isaiah Abdullah, a 26-year-old resident of Los Angeles. Abdullah was also determined to be the second suspect in the previous thefts with Nikolas Mallory.
On March 13, 2024, a search warrant was served in the 4200 block of S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, and Abdullah was taken into custody. He was booked into a Los Angeles County jail.
Abdullah, Mallory, and a third suspect, Ishmael Baptist, were found to have conspired in similar incidents investigated by the San Diego Police Department, Costa Mesa Police Department, Newport Beach Police Department, Livermore Police Department, and the Palo Alto Police Department. Baptist has not been identified as a suspect in the Palm Desert thefts.
Based on the state-wide crime spree from these three suspects, the case was presented and adopted by the California Department of Justice. On March 19, 2024, the California Department of Justice announced they filed multiple felony charges, including organized retail theft, robbery, and grand theft against the suspects.
Sheriff Bianco said, “This was an extensive investigation which led to the identification and arrest of suspects in Los Angeles. Soft-on-crime policies and laws have allowed retail theft rings to emerge as a growing problem in California, which requires a close working relationship with local law enforcement agencies in different jurisdictions. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office will aggressively identify and arrest retail crime suspects and will remain engaged with DOJ to ensure these suspects are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Details:
On October 7, 2023, deputies from the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station responded to a report of a grand theft at a retail store in the 73000 block of El Paseo, Palm Desert. Two suspects entered the store, stole several high-value items of merchandise, and ran out of the store within seconds. On October 18, 2023, the same suspects entered the same business and stole a significant amount of merchandise prior to fleeing the area. The Palm Desert Investigations Bureau, with the assistance of the Palm Desert Station-Business District Team, assumed the investigation.
During the course of the investigation, one of the suspects, 25-year-old Nikolas Mallory of Los Angeles, was identified as also being a suspect in several similar robberies in Los Angeles. On October 22, 2023, search warrants were served in the 800 block of W. 104thStreet, Los Angeles, and Mallory was taken into custody, based on investigative leads developed by Palm Desert Investigations and the Los Angeles Police Department-Organized Retail Crime Task Force. Evidence implicating Mallory in the thefts on El Paseo was recovered and he was booked into a Los Angeles County jail. The identity of the second suspect is unknown; however, the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information on this crime is asked to call Investigator Pfohlman at 760–836–1600.
The identity of these suspects and organizations is a result of working with many allied agencies across California who are also combating the rise in organized retail crime. These investigations have resulted in numerous arrests by the Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station.
The Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station would like to remind the public to not interfere or attempt to apprehend suspects involved in organized retail crime. Instead, be a good witness, obtain license plates, directions of travel, or any other identifying suspect information to aid investigators.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office has a zero-tolerance policy for these offenses. If you suspect illegal activity in your area, please contact the Coachella Valley Dispatch Center at 760–836–3215 or dial 911 in the event of an emergency.
For media inquiries regarding this incident please contact the Media Information Bureau.
If you are interested in a career with us, please apply at joinrso.org