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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A vendor at Gresham’s Oregon Flea Market is facing charges after thousands of dollars in stolen items were recovered as the result of a police operation, according to authorities.
According to a release from Gresham police, Said Alawi is accused of knowingly buying stolen property with the intent to resell it for profit at his home in Portland, as well as the flea market.
A months-long investigation and information obtained from previous retail theft cases led to law enforcement to suspect Alawi, and search warrants were served at both the market and his home.
“What we’ve recovered today is tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in suspected stolen merchandise,” Portland Police Det. Cameron Smith told KOIN 6 News.
During the search, investigators said they recovered thousands of stolen items, including clothing, hygiene products, cosmetics and more.
Officials say the value of the items is “well over $10,000.”
Alawi is now facing charges including first-degree aggravated theft and organized retail crime.
“Members of the community can assist in the fight against retail crime by remembering if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Gresham police cautioned. “If a store always has brand new, name brand merchandise, at significantly lower prices than any other retailer, there is a high chance they are re-selling stolen merchandise.”
Meanwhile, vendors at the flea market told KOIN 6 News they were shocked by the arrest.
“No, no kind of hints at all,” Samir Kasimi, a vendor at the Oregon Flea Market, said.
“All of those stolen items need to go somewhere, and they go to fencing operations,” Det. Smith said. “We can arrest shoplifters for misdemeanor crimes all day long, but it doesn’t make any difference in it, doesn’t impact the actual crime rates. This is like a node in the criminal enterprise.”
Gresham police were assisted in the operation by Portland police, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office and the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office.
Stay with KOIN 6 News as we continue to follow this story.
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Jenna Deml
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