On January 4, 2023, officers from the Carlsbad Police Department were dispatched to the Rite Aid store located at 955 Tamarack Avenue, for a theft that had occurred. During the initial investigation, officers were able to determine that two suspects responsible for the thefts had stolen from the same location earlier in the day. A suspect vehicle description and license plate were obtained through surveillance video and the vehicle was placed in the License Plate Reader system. The total loss for the two thefts was over $9,400.

During a follow-up investigation, Carlsbad Police investigators identified and located the involved suspect vehicle and suspect in San Bernardino after determining that she was involved in a large-scale organized retail crime (ORC) operation.

On January 23, 2023, Carlsbad Police officers arrested a 28-year-old female identified as Christian Dashawn Kay Ragland, a resident of San Bernardino. Ragland was arrested in San Bernardino for the following charges: 490.4(a)(3) PC, Organized Retail Theft, and 490.4(a)(1) PC, Organized Retail Theft of Merchandise with Intent to Sell, and 182(a)(1) PC, Conspiracy.

Officers recovered approximately $11,000 dollars’ worth of over-the-counter medications belonging to multiple retail stores from three different counties. The investigation is ongoing.

For more information

Crime Suppression Team Sergeant, Justin Richards, 442-339-2194 or justin.richards@carlsbadca.gov

Police media contact

Shaun Lawton, General Investigations Lieutenant, 442-339-2288 or shaun.lawton@carlsbadca.gov
Eric Kovanda, Special Investigations Lieutenant, 442-339-2146 or eric.kovanda@carlsbadca.gov