BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — Four men are facing charges for their roles in an organized theft ring operating in Maryland.
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced Monday the indictment of four individuals involved in a criminal ring responsible for over $800,000 in thefts across the state. The group, which targeted numerous retail stores in six counties, allegedly committed a series of 37 thefts, using flash-mob style tactics to overwhelm store employees and steal luxury goods.
The defendants, identified as Donte Bernard Shaw, 34, of Washington D.C.; Taquan Anthony Neal, 25, of District Heights, Maryland; Antonio William Polite, 35, of Hyattsville, Maryland; and Samuel Cordell Whitmire Jr., 29, of Alexandria, Virginia, face multiple charges. These include participation in a criminal organization, theft schemes exceeding $100,000, conspiracy to commit theft, second-degree burglary, and individual thefts. Shaw is also charged with illegal possession of a regulated firearm.
Paul Halliday, the Maryland Attorney General's Chief of Organized Crime Unit, told WUSA9 the suspects have a lengthy history of similar crimes.
"Many, if not all of them are already on probation for similar conduct or have been convicted of exactly the same conduct going back years." Halliday said.
The thefts, which began in September 2023, spanned a range of retail outlets in Howard County, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Montgomery County, Queen Anne’s County, and Prince George’s County. Among the businesses targeted were brands such as Sunglass Hut, Ulta Beauty, LensCrafters, Perfumania, GameStop, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. The group specialized in stealing luxury items including designer sunglasses, prescription eyeglass frames, perfumes, and name-brand clothing.
Halliday said investigators were able to connect the 37 crimes thanks to surveillance and similar crime patterns.
Stores hit include Dick’s sporting Goods and LensCrafters at Rio Lakefront in Montgomery County. According to charging documents, the group stole a combined $136,000 worth of goods on six separate occasions.
The criminal operation utilized rapid, coordinated thefts during business hours, often resembling a “flash mob” as multiple individuals flooded into stores, grabbed merchandise, and ran away shortly after. On some occasions, they also burglarized stores outside of operating hours. In certain instances, stores were hit multiple times within days, leading to significant losses.
The stolen goods were resold through various channels, including online marketplaces.
Halliday said, "It's ultimately the community that's going to bare the increase and cost and lost merchandise. The community will have to pay higher costs for goods and services."
Halliday said there are more people tied to the group and to other crimes across the DMV.
The Maryland Attorney General's Office is working on establishing a task force to combat organized retail crime across the state.
“Organized retail crimes are not victimless,” said Attorney General Brown. “Stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from businesses can lead to higher prices for products that Marylanders need and cost hardworking employees their jobs. My office will continue to protect Maryland consumers and businesses from these crimes that harm our economy.”
The four defendants will face trial in the Circuit Court for Howard County. However, as with all criminal cases, they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.