CARLSBAD — Two suspects accused of stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise from a beauty retailer and hair salon in Carlsbad have been arrested and linked to a larger organized retail theft operation spanning multiple counties, law enforcement officials said.
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Kailey Gisel Calderon, 26, of Moreno Valley, and an unidentified male suspect were arrested on June 18 after allegedly stealing nearly $9,000 worth of merchandise from an Ulta Beauty store in Carlsbad, according to the Carlsbad Police Department. Officers said the suspects entered the store, filled shopping bags with products and left within minutes.
A Carlsbad police officer responded to the call, obtained witness descriptions and reviewed security footage showing a suspect matching Calderon, who was listed as the registered owner of a vehicle previously linked to other retail thefts, police said.
Shortly afterward, a license plate reader in Oceanside alerted police to the vehicle’s location.
Oceanside police stopped the vehicle, and Carlsbad officers arrived to take Calderon and the male suspect into custody. Inside the car, officers found bags containing more than 440 stolen items. The combined value of merchandise recovered from Carlsbad and other locations was estimated at $20,000, according to police.
Police said the suspects were connected to a series of high-value retail thefts at Ulta Beauty and Sephora stores across Irvine, Lake Forest, Tustin and Carlsbad.
The primary suspect, Calderon, was booked on charges including commercial burglary, conspiracy, organized retail theft and committing a felony while out on bail for similar crimes. A judge authorized an increase in bail due to the severity of the alleged offenses and connection to organized theft operations.
Carlsbad police credited interagency coordination with the Oceanside Police Department and regional law enforcement partners for the arrest.
“This case is a great example of how collaboration helps us combat organized retail crime,” the Carlsbad Police Department said in a statement.
About two weeks later, on July 1, Calderon was arrested again in Vista by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department on suspicion of shoplifting, according to records.
She remains in custody at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee on $500,000 bail, facing new charges of felony organized retail theft, felony grand theft and committing a felony while out on bail.
UPDATE: This story has been updated to include the name of the primary suspect.
