CHP organized retail crime task force makes arrest and recovers over $300,000 in stolen merchandise

ORANGE COUNTY – California Highway Patrol investigators assigned to Border Division’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force last week arrested a female suspect for committing several high-end retail thefts and possessing stolen merchandise.

On several occasions, Ekatarina Zharkova, 38, of Costa Mesa, was observed by CHP investigators stealing from multiple retailers throughout Southern California. The stolen items included high-end retail goods such as Gucci, Prada, Ramy Brook, Dodo Bar, or Jimmy Choo. Zharkova used tools to disable security sensor devices before exiting the stores with thousands...