Target employee arrested on suspicion of theft of store goods

An employee in the loss prevention section of Target has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $14,000 worth of merchandise from the Yuma store for several months. At 2 p.m. Friday, Target officials alerted Yuma County Sheriff's Office to the suspected theft. A sheriff's deputies investigation revealed an employee and his accomplice were removing items from the store at 1450 S. Yuma Palms Parkway by bypassing security measures designed to prevent loss, according to a YCSO press release.

The employee, Leon Reynoso, 22, of Somerton, and an alleged accomplice, Salvador Polino, 27, of Somerton, were arrested and booked into Yuma County jail on charges of theft, participating in a criminal syndicate and trafficking in stolen property, according to YCSO Capt. Eben Bratcher.

Included in the 45-page list of stolen items that were recovered were large TVs, blenders, flatware sets, numerous DVDs, hair products and candy bars, Bratcher said.

He said the two likely intended to sell the items and probably had been selling them. Bratcher said he did not know exactly how long the thefts had been occurring.

As an employee of the loss prevention section, Bratcher said, Reynoso allegedly knew how to disable the electronic sensor that sets off an alarm when someone walks out the door with an unpaid item.

"I don't even think they were hiding it in some cases," Bratcher said. "When the guy who's watching the (security) camera is the one who's stealing it ... The accomplice would come to the store in some cases while the security guy would ... if need be, disable the security system. They would roll stuff right out the front door."

He said Target eventually realized there was internal theft and brought in a loss prevention team to conduct an undercover operation, which led to the store contacting YCSO.

Target officials declined to comment on the theft.

Anyone with information concerning this case is asked to contact YCSO Investigator Nick Rice at 783-4427. "I don't even think they were hiding it in some cases," Bratcher said. "When the guy who's watching the (security) camera is the one who's stealing it ... The accomplice would come to the store in some cases while the security guy would ... if need be, disable the security system. They would roll stuff right out the front door."

He said Target eventually realized there was internal theft and brought in a loss prevention team to conduct an undercover operation, which led to the store contacting YCSO.

Target officials declined to comment on the theft.

Anyone with information concerning this case is asked to contact YCSO Investigator Nick Rice at 783-4427.

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SOME OF THE ITEMS ALLEGEDLY STOLEN BY THE TARGET EMPLOYEE AND HIS ACCOMPLICE:

-42-inch TV worth more than $1,000

-2 32-inch TVs valued at $1,200 and $800

-Numerous DVD movies

-Portable helium kits

-Vacuum cleaner

-Cooksets

-Flatware sets

-Coffee makers

-Blenders

-Food processor

-Slicer/shredder

-Knife set

-Knife sharpener

-Juicer

-Toaster

-Jar opener

-Iron

-Answering machine

-Hairspray and hair products

-Aftershave

-Deodorant

-Wacky string

-Birthday candles

-Balloons

-Licorice

-Candy bars

Source: Capt. Eben Bratcher, Yuma County Sheriff's Office

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Nicole Squibbs can be reached at

nsquibbs@yumasun.com or 539-6855.