New York authorities claim to have taken down an organised shoplifting ring that stole everything from luxury goods to toiletries, reaping millions of dollars and contributing to an atmosphere of lawlessness that has unsettled the city.
In a press conference, the New York attorney-general Letitia James and New York City mayor Eric Adams announced the indictment of 41 people on criminal charges, including possession of stolen property and money laundering, after a three-year investigation.
The ring was allegedly led by Roni Rubinov, owner of the New Liberty Loans Pawn Shop near Times Square, as well as a jewellery store. According to the indictment, Rubinov and a group of employees bought stolen goods on a daily basis from 30 low-level thieves who targeted high-end department stores such as Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus as well as drug chains such as Duane Reade.