Operation Blitz has been initiated by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in collaboration with the Gulf Coast Criminal Investigators Association and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
The effort aims to hold repeat offenders accountable for their acts and destroy organized retail theft activities.
“Organized retail crime is not just shoplifting; it’s a gateway to more dangerous criminal activity,” said Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. “These suspects often carry weapons, have open warrants, and are tied to broader networks. Through Operation Blitz, we’re sending a clear message: we are watching, and we are coming for you.”
More than 2,300 retail theft-related occurrences have occurred in Harris County since May 2024.
Since the operation began last week, almost $4,000 worth of stolen goods has been recovered, and 12 people have been arrested.
“Many of those arrests uncovered even deeper issues, from drug possession to weapons violations and felony-level evading. One suspect, Kenneth Pilgreen, was a repeat offender with open warrants linked to thefts totaling over $42,000 from Home Depot and Lowe’s. Detectives filed an additional felony theft charge after connecting him to another active HCSO case‚” the sheriff’s office said.
Deputies have also been working behind the scenes to break up larger organized retail theft crime rings, according to the sheriff’s office. In one of those incidents, Nneka Owunna was taken into custody after detectives discovered a network of 23 individuals who were allegedly stealing expensive cosmetics from stores.
Deputies discovered stolen goods being resold through Owunna’s Amazon storefront after receiving a tip that led them to an apartment complex. Investigators estimate that its 2023 sales came to $1.1 million.
In another case, four other suspects and a mother-daughter pair, Johnette Jackson and Ta Taneisha White, are charged with stealing over $30,000 worth of cosmetics and scents from Sephora stores throughout the county. Jackson is still out there.
Contact the HCSO Office of Burglary and Theft at 713-274-9200 if you have any information.
