From the Moraga PD:
On Saturday, 10/12/13 at 1:12pm, Moraga Police Officers responded to the Moraga Safeway on a report of shoplifting. It was reported that two subjects had taken a shopping cart full of groceries from Safeway, then fled in a silver Chevrolet Astro van towards Orinda. Orinda PD located the vehicle in front of Bev Mo (6 Camino Pablo, Orinda) and detained three female occupants.
Subsequent investigation revealed that a full shopping cart had been staged inside the Moraga Safeway by two of the suspects and the third suspect later entered Safeway, located the filled shopping cart, and exited the store without paying for the items, valued at over $1,000. An alert Safeway employee witnessed the theft and notified the police. During the investigation, a search of the vehicle also revealed suspected rock cocaine.
Moraga Police arrested all three suspects and they were booked at the Martinez Detention Facility. The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office subsequently filed felony charges including commercial burglary, grand theft, and possession of a controlled substance on all three suspects.
The charged suspects are identified as Joyce Coleman (age 56), Phi Ngo (age 40), and Thuy Tran (age 57). All three suspects are residents of Oakland.
Further investigation has indicated that this commercial burglary crew has been active throughout the Bay Area and they have been linked with thefts and attempted thefts using the same method. Anyone who has any information regarding this investigation, please contact Detective Sgt. Brian South with the Moraga Police Department at 925-888-7052.