San Francisco police nab three repeat thieves targeting upscale REI store

After REI partnered with the San Francisco Police Department’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force, the store began alerting authorities about repeat thieves. The task force circulated suspect information, enabling rapid response when the individuals returned. On July 13, 45-year-old Erick Rock fled the store on a bicycle; police recovered almost $1,200 in items and later linked him to 12 other thefts totaling more than $7,200, leading to charges of second-degree burglary, grand theft and multiple shoplifting counts.

Two days later, 52-year-old Johanna Daniels was stopped while running away on foot, with over $600 of merchandise seized; investigators tied her to ten prior incidents amounting to over $4,700, resulting in similar burglary and theft charges. On August 19, 51-year-old Dennis Kelley was arrested carrying $310 of stolen backpacks, and authorities connected him to 16 earlier incidents with losses exceeding $8,000, charging him with organized retail theft and related offenses. These arrests are part of a broader SFPD effort, including a recent National Blitz Week that yielded 19 arrests at other retailers.