Bellevue detectives have busted what they suspect to be three major regional organized retail theft rings responsible for well over $100,000 in stolen merchandise.

In one case, four suspects are charged, three with working together to steal over $93,000 in handbags from Louis Vuitton in Bellevue, and the fourth with selling the stolen bags. Investigators say the crew hit the same Louis Vuitton twice in June 2022. Detectives found the stolen bags for sale online, set up a buy, and arrested one of the suspects.

The King County Prosecutor charged Billy Chambers, Memory Yearby and Earnetra Turner with two counts of Organized Retail Theft in the 1st Degree. In addition, Trey Kendall was charged with Trafficking in Stolen Property in the 1st Degree. All four have extensive criminal histories, according to charging documents.

“These suspects were aggressive and coordinated in their efforts and often physically confronted employees or security who stood in their way,” said Police Captain Shelby Shearer. “These crew also caused significant damage to the stores during the thefts, causing some businesses to close for the day to clean up the mess.”

A second case involves a 24-year-old suspect accused of multiple thefts totaling nearly $13,000 from Bellevue’s Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack in October and November 2021. Detectives say Janay Luckey brazenly walked into the stores, cut security tags off merchandise and left without paying. She’s then accused of selling the merchandise online.

The King County Prosecutor’s Office charged Luckey with Organized Retail Theft in the 1st Degree and two counts of Trafficking in Stolen Property in the 1st Degree. She is also charged with five counts of organized retail theft and trafficking out of Seattle, totaling more than $84,000 in those cases.

A third case involves a nearly $7,000 theft from Ulta in Factoria. Detectives say two suspects stole 62 bottles of perfume. One of the suspects was arrested in Kent, and charges are pending against the other, who is also a suspect in the Louis Vuitton theft from above. The pair allegedly used a rental car in the theft.

Police say the merchandise was returned to Ulta.

“We joined the state’s Organized Retail Task Force committed to cracking down on this crime,” said Shearer. “These cases involved regional collaboration and partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and the affected businesses. Arresting these suspects reduces crime not only in Bellevue but regionally.”

Police say additional charges are expected.