Four Romanian Nationals Busted for Bold Theft Operation in Pasadena
– Four Romanian nationals arrested for organized retail theft in Pasadena.
– Detectives observed them selecting high-value clothing items.
– Suspects attempted to escape but were apprehended.
– Charges include grand theft; suspects used fraudulent visas.
– Connected to thefts across multiple counties.
– Authorities seek additional information from the public.
The arrest took place following close surveillance by the Pasadena Police Department
specifically targeting retail theft and vehicle burglaries
– The suspects allegedly concealed stolen items by hiding behind each other while leaving the store without making any payments.
– During the arrest, one of the suspects attempted to evade capture by trying to drive a vehicle into an officer's vehicle.
– Fortunately, no officers were injured during the incident or the subsequent arrests.
The suspects have been identified as Vasile Alberto Balan, charged with one count of grand theft with a bail set at $300,000
and Sorin Marin Stefan, Mihaela Simion, and Cosmin Lucian Cismary, each charged with one count of grand theft with a bail set at $250,000 each.
– Investigators believe the suspects had been deported back to Romania before returning to the U.S.
Detectives are currently examining their involvement in more than 15 other theft cases across Los Angeles, Orange Counties, and Clark County in Nevada
Authorities have released booking photos of the suspects and surveillance video of the theft
– seeking additional information from the public to aid in their ongoing investigation.