San Francisco Police Arrested Five for REI Thefts

Authorities apprehended five suspects following a series of retail thefts at the city's REI store.

Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Property Crime

Bold flat-color editorial illustration showing two distant, illuminated street lights casting structured light onto a quiet, dark street, evoking urban law enforcement. — San Francisco police arrested five suspects involved in a series of retail thefts at a local REI, recovering nearly $20,000 in merchandise. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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San Francisco police have arrested five individuals accused of stealing nearly $20,000 in merchandise from a local REI store. The arrests resulted from an ongoing partnership between law enforcement and the retailer to combat property crime.

Why it matters

These arrests reflect a broader effort by city authorities to curb retail crime through closer cooperation with businesses. The crackdown follows a recent surge in police enforcement actions across the city.

Police arrested 874 individuals for retail theft between April and September, marking a 22% increase compared to the previous six months. Authorities have successfully recovered over $418,000 in stolen goods over the past year.

The players

San Francisco Police Department

The primary law enforcement agency responsible for investigating criminal activity and maintaining public safety within the city.

REI

A prominent national outdoor retail cooperative that maintains a store location on Brannan Street.

The details

Officers conducted investigations into multiple theft incidents occurring between June and September to identify the suspects. The police recovered $1,286.78 in stolen merchandise during the final arrest of suspect Daniel De La Rosa.

Henry Le was arrested on Sept. 6.
Benjamin Buckingham was arrested on Sept. 23.
Piero Alioto was arrested on Sept. 28.
Antonio Stewart and Daniel De La Rosa were arrested on Sept. 30.

Legal Context

The arrests follow the San Francisco Police Department's reported 22% increase in retail theft arrests between April and September. This trend signals a period of heightened enforcement and closer collaboration between local police and private retailers to address property crime.

The increased police presence and partnership with retailers may lead to more secure shopping environments for residents and visitors. Local businesses are encouraged to coordinate directly with the department to utilize these expanded enforcement resources.

The takeaway

Retailers and law enforcement officials are increasingly relying on data-sharing partnerships to address organized property crime. Residents should expect continued vigilance and potential security adjustments at major retail locations throughout the city.