Two men were arrested in connection with the systematic theft of baby formula worth tens of thousands of dollars, Los Angeles police announced on Tuesday.
Joe Lopez, 27, and Nick Lopez, 22, were arrested on June 30 by Cargo- Hijack Unit detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department's Commercial Crimes Division.
Earlier in June, detectives and loss prevention officers began investigating formula thefts from a store's distribution warehouse. The loss, incurred over a six-week period, totaled over $50,000 and was "believed to be related to organized retail crime," according to an LAPD statement.
Investigators allege that a privately contracted security guard at a distribution warehouse had allowed a second suspect to enter the facility after hours and take large quantities of baby formula, police said.
"Their investigation led to a motel in Los Angeles where the suspects were found to have had over $9,000 in stolen baby formula," according to the LAPD.
Follow-up investigation led to a storage facility in Sylmar and a residence in Valencia and the ultimate seizure of $11,000 in stolen product and $4,000 in cash, police said.
Police did not immediately disclose whether the suspects are related.
