Two Arrested in Major Organized Retail Theft Case, Stolen Merchandise Recovered

Two people were arrested, and stolen merchandise recovered, in connection with an organized retail theft case.

On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, at approximately 3:00 p.m., officers from the Portland Police Bureau's Central Neighborhood Response Team (NRT) and officers from East Precinct successfully apprehended two suspects believed to be part of an organized retail theft ring responsible for stealing over $100,000 in merchandise from businesses in Portland and jurisdictions along the I-5 corridor.

The suspects were detained without incident during a coordinated traffic stop in the area of Northeast Halsey Street and Northeast 112^th Avenue. Officers recovered 25 pieces of suspected stolen merchandise, many still bearing magnetic security tags. The items were traced back to multiple high-end retail stores, highlighting the scale and coordination of the operation.

The suspects are identified as:

Markesha McGruder, 33, of Portland, Organized Retail Crime (4 counts), Theft in the First Degree (10 counts), Theft in the Second Degree (2 counts), Aggravated Theft (1 count)

Elexis Jackson, 28, of Portland, Organized Retail Crime (2 counts), Theft in the First Degree (4 counts), Aggravated Theft (1 count)

The arrests followed an extensive, months-long investigation involving the Multnomah County District Attorney's Organized Retail Theft Task Force, the Oregon Department of Justice and retail loss prevention professionals with the Organized Retail Theft Association of Oregon (ORCAOR).

This is a significant step in dismantling an organized operation that has impacted businesses in the community. Ongoing partnerships with retail loss prevention teams and multi-agency collaboration continue to prove essential in disrupting these crimes.

PPB and partners remain committed to identifying and dismantling organized retail crime groups and express gratitude to the businesses and community members who provided key information that led to these arrests.

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