Four arrested after Providence Place Mall shoplifting incident

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – Four men, believed to have connections to a South American organized retail theft group, were arrested after allegedly shoplifting from the Providence Place Mall on Monday.

Police say the shoplifting incidents occurred at the Lens Crafters and Victoria’s Secrets stores. According to a police report, two Versace sunglasses and one Prada regular frames were taken from the Lens Crafters and nearly $3,000 worth of pajamas were taken from the Victoria’s Secret.

The four suspects were identified as Howard Garcia, Ozzie Arenas and Keiner Salas, all of the Bronx, NY, and Beikel Omar Amestroy Ariellano, of Yonkers, NY.

Three of the suspects face charges in Cranston. According to Cranston Police, Salas, Amestoy Arrelano and Garcia are now facing felony larceny and conspiracy charges in connection with recent thefts committed in the city. They also add that Amestoy Arrelano is wanted in New York for grand larceny and by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement for failure to appear for removal from the United States.

Cranston police say three retail theft incidents, at two major department stores in the Garden City Center, have been reported between February 17  and March 23. The incidents resulted in a total loss of $7,000. The same group is believed to be responsible for thefts across several states including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, North Carolina, and Illinois with a total loss estimated to exceed $30,000, according to Cranston police.