$1.2M in stolen property recovered in Bay Area, Fresno business targeted

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Months aft aggregate thefts astatine a section business, much than $1.2 cardinal of stolen spot has been recovered, but constabulary are inactive searching for a suspect.

OK Sales successful eastbound cardinal Fresno was targeted 3 times betwixt December and February.

Property stolen from the baccy warehouse was recovered successful the Bay Area, on with different illegally purchased baccy products.

Fresno Police investigated the burglaries astatine the baccy warehouse connected Pontiac Way and Winery Avenue.

The crimes spanned 3 months, starring to thefts and harm to the warehouse.

Fresno Police said successful the archetypal incidental connected December 20th, a conveyance slammed into the roll-up doorway astatine the concern and astir 10 men were seen grabbing boxes of tobacco.

Action News spoke with the section aft the 2nd break-in involving 8 thieves astir 4 a.m. January 6th.

"Some of the surveillance video that we person reviewed truthful acold shows a achromatic Lexus and a Dodge Charger astatine the successful location," said Fresno Police Sgt. Diana Trueba- Vega.

"The probe besides shows done the video that was observed that 1 of the vehicles rammed the obstruction astatine that location, astatine that business. Several subjects exited the vehicles, went wrong the business, and grabbed boxes."

Trueba-Vega said surveillance video captured the burglars with semi-automatic handguns grabbing boxes filled with cigarettes and a Lexus with a Bay Area licence plate.

That licence sheet was telling: $1.2 cardinal successful stolen property, including the items taken from OK Sales, was recovered aft hunt warrants led Fresno Police detectives to Oakland and Richmond.

Investigators identified Julio Merino successful the lawsuit and are inactive moving to find the 25-year-old.

Police worked alongside different agencies, including the California Highway Patrol Organized Retail Crimes Task Force-Golden Gate Division.

The Task Force was launched successful 2019 to tackle crimes similar this one.

In the archetypal 2 months of 2025, the task unit has already made much than 200 arrests and recovered an estimated $2.2 cardinal successful stolen items.

Action News contacted OKSales, but the institution declined to remark portion the probe was inactive open.

If you cognize wherever Merino is, you're asked to interaction the police.

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