NY Authorities Shutter Retail Fencing Operation

A New York beauty store allegedly resold more than $1 million worth of stolen goods from Macy’s and several other retailers, authorities said.

Two New Yorkers were charged with possessing and reselling the stolen goods through their business, Rehana’s Cosmetics, a perfume and cosmetics store at 870 6th Ave. in Midtown Manhattan, the borough’s district attorney Alvin Bragg said in a news release.

About $212,000 of the merchandise was stolen from Macy’s, while the remaining came from CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Walgreens-owned Duane Reade, Ulta, Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works and the NHL Shop, Bragg said. The amount of stolen property seized at the store and at two storage units filled 450 medium cardboard boxes, authorities.

Stolen items seized by New York authorities from a storage unit. Photo: Courtesy of Manhattan District Attorney Office

Rehana’s Cosmetics, Bragg alleged, claimed to be a “beauty and perfume store,” but was instead found to have hundreds of boxes filled with products not typically found at such stores, including designer purses, over-the-counter medications, kitchenware and more. He said the defendants obtained the stolen items from shoplifters for reselling.

“Retail theft is a scourge that impacts our local businesses and jeopardizes the safety of employees and customers alike,” said Bragg. “We must use every tool in our toolbox to address the root causes of retail theft, and a critical piece of that is upstream, proactive investigations into those who stand to profit. In addition to disrupting fencing networks, we will continue to target the small number of recidivists who are driving a significant amount of retail theft and ensure appropriate accountability.”

Information on when the two defendants will face trial on their charges was not immediately available.