9 charged with stealing $21K in retail theft ring

Nine people have been charged with stealing more than $21,000 worth of merchandise in a retail theft ring across Chicago over the last month.

The group would take vans to various clothing and shoe stores on the South and North sides, fill bags with merchandise and walk out without paying, according to police and prosecutors.

At least eight alleged thefts happened between Nov. 19 and Dec. 10 and were all caught on camera, prosecutors said on Saturday.

The thefts weren’t related to the Neiman Marcus smash-and-grab burglary and theft on Dec. 10, police noted.

Charged with felony counts of theft and various misdemeanors are:

–Michael Shaw, 40, of the 6900 block of South Green;

–Tabitha Jones, 25, of the 9000 block of South Drexel;

–Lonyae Barr, 21, of the 1900 block of West Garfield;

–Dartanya Banks, 33, of the 7900 block of South Ingleside;

–Kiara Jefferson, 21, of the 8000 block of South Dobson;

–Ernestine Lucas, 64, of the 6500 block of South Mozart;

–Nicole Lucas, 33, of the 6500 block of South Mozart;

–Tenisha Triplett, 29, of an unknown address; and

–Derrell Cooper, 21, of the 1900 block of East 72nd Place.

A judge on Saturday ordered Banks, Barr and Nicole and Ernestine Lucas each held on $100,000 bonds. Jones was held on a $75,000 bond, while bail was set at $50,000 and $30,000 for Triplett and Jefferson, respectively.

Shaw, who had been on parole and has a criminal history with three felony convictions, was ordered held on a $250,000 bond.

Cooper’s bond hearing was pushed back to Sunday due to a paperwork snafu.