Las Cruces police bust alleged retail theft ring

LAS CRUCES — A string of shoplifting incidents at major retail stores over a period of months followed a pattern that Las Cruces police say led them to a systematic operation of identifying and stealing merchandise, then selling it over social media.

On Thursday, the LCPD announced the arrest of Felicia Fae Peters, 35, on charges of shoplifting in the range of $2,500 to $20,000; a second-degree felony count of organized retail theft; and a petty misdemeanor charge of attempted battery related to an alleged threat to a store employee. 

Peters is accused in a string of robberies at a local Home Depot in August and September in which nail guns and power tools valued at approximately $5,700 were stolen, allegedly with the help of a male accomplice. She is also accused in a string of thefts from a Target store from August to September involving $3,320 in Lego sets and other merchandise; men’s boots from the Boot Barn store at the Mesilla Valley Mall amounting to nearly $420; laptops from a Best Buy store valued at $440; and $727 worth of merchandise from a Neighborhood Walmart store. 

In all, the value of the merchandise reported stolen exceeded $10,600. 

“Criminal statutes introduced in 2023 make the coordinated theft of merchandise with the intent to profit a second-degree felony in New Mexico,” the LCPD said in a written statement. “The statutes allow law enforcement to aggregate theft values for individuals, regardless of the retailer, over a period of three months. Police can then file charges according to the total value of stolen merchandise.”

According to charging documents, Las Cruces police say Peters worked with at least one accomplice to load merchandise into shopping carts and leave through fire exits where a car was waiting. 

The attempted battery charge followed an allegation by a Best Buy employee that Peters threatened to pepper spray him on Oct. 28.

Investigators located a Facebook Marketplace profile under a different name that included links to a TikTok account allegedly identifying Peters, as well as merchandise for sale consistent with the stolen property. 

Peters did not yet appear to have an attorney Friday. 

Similar retail crime rings have been busted in other states, including an operation in New York involving at least 13 defendants facing a 780-count indictment addressing millions of dollars in equipment stolen from Home Depot stores in nine states and marketed on Facebook and other places, as reported by WABC-TV.

Facebook’s website states that selling stolen merchandise violates its policies and advises users to report suspicious listings to Facebook and call local law enforcement. 

Las Cruces police indicated they had identified additional suspects and more arrests were expected. When Peters was taken into custody at her residence, police also arrested Miguel Palacios, 35, on misdemeanor charges and a municipal court bench warrant, according to jail records. As of Friday afternoon, Palacios had not been charged in connection with the shoplifting allegations.

Under the department’s retail crime initiative, LCPD reported that six other individuals have been arrested on charges including shoplifting, criminal trespass, receiving and transferring stolen property and other offenses, with approximately $1,100 in stolen property recovered.