Highlands Ranch, CO — Four suspects, including two juveniles, are in custody after deputies disrupted a coordinated retail theft operation targeting King Soopers grocery stores in Centennial and Highlands Ranch, authorities confirmed.
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said the incident began around 3:30 p.m. on June 18 when a shoplifting call was reported at the King Soopers in Centennial. Just minutes later, deputies learned of another theft in progress at a King Soopers in Highlands Ranch.
According to investigators, the suspects were already under surveillance by Kroger for previous fraudulent activity. Witnesses reported seeing the suspects leaving the stores carrying excessive amounts of makeup and “awkwardly holding their skirts and dresses,” raising suspicion.
Deputies tracked the suspects to the Highlands Ranch location, where they detained 37-year-old Gabi Maria Lautaru, the driver of a minivan believed to have been used in the thefts. Authorities say Lautaru acted as a lookout and alerted the other suspects in the store, prompting them to abandon the stolen goods before being confronted by law enforcement.
Ultimately, all four suspects — two adult women and two girls — were taken into custody. Investigators linked them to a separate felony-level theft at another Centennial grocery store earlier that day.
Deputies recovered approximately $9,600 worth of merchandise from the Highlands Ranch location and an additional $5,000 in stolen makeup from the Centennial store.
Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Division Chief of Professional Standards Jason Kennedy credited increased collaboration with local retailers for the swift arrests. “These partnerships are helping us hold offenders accountable and keep our communities safe,” Kennedy said.
The two adults were booked into the Douglas County Jail, while the juveniles were transported to the Foote Youth Services Center. The suspects face multiple charges, including theft, conspiracy, concealment, and, in Lautaru’s case, contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The investigation remains active.
