ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Chesterfield police claim they’ve broken up a retail theft ring that operated out of a St. Louis storefront.
The business, now closed, operated on the corner of Natural Bridge and Shreve avenues in St. Louis. FOX 2 cannot use the business’ full name because it contains a swear word; it was called ‘Fly (expletive) Only.’ Chesterfield police say they found thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen merchandise for sale inside.
FOX 2 found the business is properly registered, cuss name and all, with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office as of May 2022.
A Chesterfield police spokesperson says their investigation revealed two people were repeatedly driving to various stores to steal goods. A probable cause statement says a GPS tracker on the suspects’ Chrysler 300 linked La’Nadja Latham, 26, and Mahkeem White, 29, to the alleged retail thefts. After serving search warrants, police found thousands of dollars in stolen items at the defendants’ north St. Louis County home they shared on Bakewell Drive and in their retail store on Natural Bridge.
“I have to tip my hat to the Chesterfield Police Department,” St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said.
Bell’s office charged both defendants with felony receiving stolen property. It’s a more common criminal charge with the online stolen good black market, he said.
“Which is why we started our retail theft task force in the first place, so that we could start connecting our law enforcement partners,” Bell said.
Citizens like Joshua Conley were struck by the alleged criminals’ ingenuity. He said
“I feel like crime is getting so intricate nowadays, because I wouldn’t even think of doing something like that,” he said.
Conley, who’s pursuing a career in law, wondered if that inventiveness could be used for something positive.
“That name, man, Fly (expletive) Only; I’m trying to think of how I can get that creative when I try to do my own thing,” he said.
Both defendants are due in court next month. If convicted, they face up to seven years in prison.
