SF Police Arrest Three Repeat REI Thieves With Combined Losses Over $19,000
San Francisco police arrested three habitual shoplifters targeting a high-end REI store, recovering stolen gear and linking suspects to dozens of separate theft incidents.
SF's Retail Crime Task Force Nets Three Habitual REI Thieves
San Francisco police have arrested three alleged repeat shoplifters who investigators say repeatedly targeted a high-end REI outdoor gear store, racking up combined losses of more than $19,000, NY Post Metro reports.
The arrests stem from a partnership between REI and the San Francisco Police Department's Organized Retail Crime Task Force, a unit focused on habitual offenders and building prosecutable cases in cooperation with retailers. REI joined the task force's retail partnership program in May.
Under the arrangement, store employees began flagging suspected repeat thieves to investigators, enabling police to circulate suspect information and respond quickly when those individuals returned.
Erick Rock, 45
On July 13, REI staff alerted officers that Erick Rock, 45, was allegedly inside the store stealing merchandise. Officers spotted Rock fleeing on a bicycle and recovered nearly $1,200 worth of gear. Investigators subsequently linked Rock to 12 additional alleged thefts, bringing his total estimated losses to more than $7,200. He was arrested July 16 and charged with second-degree burglary, two counts of grand theft, and 11 counts of shoplifting.
Johanna Daniels, 52
The following day, July 14, REI flagged another suspected habitual thief. Officers arrested Johanna Daniels, 52, while she was fleeing the store on foot, recovering more than $600 in merchandise. Investigators connected Daniels to 10 additional incidents, with total losses exceeding $4,700. She was charged July 17 with second-degree burglary, grand theft, nine counts of petty theft with prior convictions, and shoplifting.
Dennis Kelley, 51
On Aug. 19, REI reported that a suspect who had allegedly been stealing from the store multiple times per week had returned. Officers arrested Dennis Kelley, 51, who was found carrying $310 worth of stolen backpacks. Investigators tied Kelley to 16 separate theft incidents at the same location, with total losses surpassing $8,000. He faces charges including organized retail theft, grand theft, second-degree burglary, and 16 counts of petty theft with prior convictions.
Proposition 36 Sharpens Prosecution
The arrests coincide with the implementation of California's Proposition 36, approved by voters in November 2024. Known as the "Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act," the measure added Penal Code Section 666.1, which allows theft offenses that would ordinarily be classified as misdemeanors to be prosecuted as felonies when a suspect carries two or more prior convictions for qualifying theft-related offenses. Prosecutors say the law gives them additional leverage against repeat offenders.
Broader Crackdown Across the City
The three REI cases are part of a wider SFPD enforcement push targeting organized retail crime. During National Blitz Week, running Aug. 1 through 9, the task force conducted operations at Stonestown Galleria and at multiple Whole Foods and Walgreens locations, targeting so-called "boosters" — individuals who steal merchandise for resale — and "fencers," who purchase and redistribute that stolen property. Those operations resulted in 19 arrests.
Source: NY Post Metro