38 people arrested in Cherry Hill shoplifting ring bust – NBC10 Philadelphia

Police said more than three dozen people were arrested and thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods were recovered during a two-day operation after an organized retail theft ring was dismantled in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

According to police, law enforcement officers from the Cherry Hill Police Department conducted the operation on May 21 and 22, working with more than twenty merchants and stores to curb shoplifting.

The operation resulted in 38 arrests, police said in a statement. Among other things, several people were arrested who were suspected of being involved in an organized shoplifting ring. In addition, stolen goods worth several thousand dollars were seized.

In a statement, Cherry Hill Police Chief Robert Kempf said he had been working on a partnership with “local merchants whose stores have been plagued by thefts” since November of last year.

“Instead of police and retailers pointing fingers at each other, we met, discussed things and developed a plan on how we can proactively address this problem together,” Kempf said in a statement.

After meetings with traders, police officials said they were conducting regular checks and sending plainclothes officers on patrol near shops to arrest suspected thieves.

Officials said the “basic idea is to outwit and overpower the attackers before they have a chance to escape or fight.”

Cherry Hill Detective Robert Daniello, who led the program, said the collaboration was successful thanks to the help of retailers.

“It’s teamwork, pure and simple. When everyone is on the same page and working together, our job is much easier,” Daniello said in a statement.