2 women accused of stealing $7,000 worth of personal care products from Davis pharmacies

A two-month organized retail theft investigation has led to the arrests of two women accused of participating in a heist of $7,000 worth of personal care products from two CVS Pharmacy stores in Davis on the same day.

Diamon Russell, 22, of Suisun City and Destiny Gates, 21, of Davis were arrested on suspicion of committing organized retail theft, grand theft and criminal conspiracy, according to the Davis Police Department. Gates faces an additional charge of unlawful possession of gun ammunition.

Police said Russell and Gates were identified as two of the four suspects involved in the Nov. 28 store thefts. The first theft occurred at the CVS Pharmacy at 1550 East Covell Boulevard.

Four suspects entered the store and went to the personal care products section, where they filled up duffel bags and a plastic 50-gallon size bag with merchandise from the shelves, according to the police department. The suspects then left the store with the stolen items worth about $2,000.

The second CVS Pharmacy theft occurred about 20 minutes later just down the street from the first location. Police said four suspects entered the CVS at 1471 West Covell Boulevard and stole large amounts of personal care products worth about $5,000. The store manager confronted the suspects and they left the store.

The department’s Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving Unit investigated the CVS thefts and identified Russell and Gates as suspects. Detectives arrested Russell on Jan. 19 at her home and Gates was arrested on Jan. 20 at her apartment.

During a search of Gates’ apartment, police said investigators found a large amount of beauty products, cosmetics and other items stolen in the thefts, along with the ammunition.