Elkin Riva Gallego, 22, and Angy Ramirez Linares, 32, were arrested Thursday in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and are facing felony retail theft charges, according to court documents obtained by Inside Edition Digital.
A couple was arrested in Pennsylvania last week after cops say they stole from 2 Ulta stores and are suspects in a multi-state theft of the beauty store chain, according to reports.
Elkin Riva Gallego, 22, and Angy Ramirez Linares, 32, were arrested Thursday in Berks County and are facing felony retail theft charges, according to court documents obtained by Inside Edition Digital.
Spring Township police say the couple stole $25,000 worth of merchandise from two Ulta stores, ABC 6 reported. Officers allegedly caught them in the act on Thursday.
"They were pushing a stroller. There was no baby in the stroller. They are simply used for the theft. Putting items into the stroller, and that's how they did other thefts too across a multi-state area," Spring Township Det. Sgt. Robert Long said in a statement.
Police say the couple is responsible for stealing $50,000 worth of goods from 10 Ulta stores in the last two weeks, according to ABC 6.
The thefts have sparked investigations across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, where stores are located that cops suspect the couple stole from.
Gallego and Linares have not yet entered a plea and have no attorney listed, according to court documents obtained by Inside Edition Digital.
Both are currently awaiting their preliminary hearings, according to the court documents.
Gallego and Linares have posted $25,000 bail each for one of the counts of retail theft, according to court documents.
Police suspect that this is one of many cases related to store robberies at Ulta shops as investigators say they believe there is a major retail theft ring targeting Ulta stores in the Northeast. Cops say that Ulta is a high-value target because stolen items are untraceable and can be sold easily on the street, according to Local Today.
"There are multiple groups from multiple states. A lot of it started coming down from New York; Connecticut, they would hit up there, then come down here," Det. Scott Pezick with West Whiteland Twp. Police Department said in a statement. "There are groups from everywhere, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York. It's really an active crime right now. We're trying to slow it down."
"You see trends in crimes, catalytic converters, things like that come and go, but this has been for the last year or so. Very common, very common theft," Pezick added.
Ulta has told ABC 6 that they are actively working with local law enforcement and providing safety protocols, trainings, technology and tools for their store teams.
