Earlier this week, investigators with the Bellevue Police Department took down a major West Coast organized retail theft ring that police say is responsible for the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise. The suspects, 24-year-old Janeice Downs, 19-year-old Reality Leavens, and 49-year-old Janeice Wiley, Downs’ mother, were formally charged today in King County Superior Court. Downs and her accomplices are alleged to have, on a regular and ongoing basis as recently as April 7th, committed documented retail thefts totaling over $537,000 on at least 42 different occasions. The trio is alleged to have targeted primarily LuluLemon stores located in Western Washington, Northern Oregon, and Southern California. Police worked closely with LuluLemon’s regional Organized Retail Crime Investigator for the region on these cases.
Downs and her associates are alleged to have brazenly stole thousands of dollars worth of merchandise each time they entered, often times stuffing bags full of merchandise before fleeing the store. They typically used vehicles that did not have license plates or that were purchased using fraudulent documents.
This past Tuesday, Bellevue Police, with the assistance of the Valley SWAT team and the Tukwila Police Department, served a search warrant at Downs’ residence in Kent. Bellevue Police investigators seized suspected stolen items, distinctive clothing worn during the alleged thefts, a vehicle that is suspected to have been used in several of the thefts, as well as three semi-automatic rifles. Both Downs and her mother Janeice, both of whom were home at the time the search warrant was served, are convicted felons and as such are prohibited from possessing firearms. Downs and Wiley were both arrested at the residence. Another accomplice, an 11-year-old juvenile female, was observed by a Detective sitting in the audience at Downs’ court appearance. That juvenile, who police allege was often present or participated in some of the thefts, was identified and released, and investigators plan on forwarding charges to the Juvenile Prosecutor.
Bellevue Police Assistant Chief of Police Andrew Popochock, speaking about this case, stated: “This case is an excellent example of the hard work of our Officers and Detectives.” Popochock continued: “The message is clear: if you engage in criminal activities in Bellevue, we will work tirelessly to locate you and hold you accountable for your actions.”
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