Phoenix man accused of stealing from same retail store 31 times

PHOENIX — An Arizona man has been indicted for organized retail theft, according to a Friday announcement from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

Christian Mayson Kaya, 22, stole from the same retail store in west Phoenix at least once a month for over a year, prosecutors said.

He allegedly stole items on 31 separate occasions from February 2023 to April 2024.

Altogether, the goods he stole were worth more than $7,000, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said.

“Kaya would enter the store and use a backpack or handbasket to gather everything from clothing to luggage to hoverboards,” according to a news release. “He would then use the fire exits to leave the store.”

Phoenix man indicted for organized retail theft accused of other crimes

He stole the goods with the intent to resell them for a profit, prosecutors said. Kaya was indicted on 31 counts of organized retail theft last week, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said.

Authorities arrested Kaya for organized retail theft on May 10, 2024, according to the Phoenix Police Department.

During the time of his arrest, Kaya allegedly had two active warrants for failing to appear to two separate sentencings. One was for a child abuse case and another was for a drug possession case, prosecutors said.

Maricopa County’s top prosecutor says these crimes hurt the whole Valley

County Attorney Rachel Mitchell has made fighting organized retail theft one of her top priorities. Her office even has a website listing recent cases.

“Every instance of organized retail crime creates a ripple effect that trickles down to the wallets of everyday people,” Mitchell said in the news release.

For example, stores may try to compensate for their losses by rising prices.

“I commend the work of the Phoenix Police investigators who successfully pieced together this case,” Mitchell added. “Together with law enforcement, we’ll ensure this crime has no place in Maricopa County.”