Five arrested after trying to rob a Pleasant Hill sporting goods store

PLEASANT HILL — An Oakland teen and four other juveniles were arrested after an alert officer’s vehicle check led to the interruption of a theft at a sporting-goods store, authorities said Thursday.

Just after 7:40 p.m. Wednesday, an officer on patrol near Dick’s Sporting Goods, 2314 Monument Blvd., noticed and decided to check an occupied vehicle parked near the store’s entrance.

Moments later, a group of people carrying merchandise came out of the store, but dropped the items and ran back inside after seeing the officer.

Police soon detained the group, as well as the occupied vehicle’s driver, and an investigation found the group had tried to take store items without paying.

Four juveniles were arrested and later released to parents or guardians. A fifth person, identified as Zahra McCockran, 18, of Oakland, was arrested on suspicion of grand theft and conspiracy to commit theft. She was listed in custody Thursday at West County jail in Richmond on $30,000 bail, according to a county records check.

Store representatives told Pleasant Hill police they believe at least some of those arrested are part of an organized group hitting other Bay Area locations.

It is not clear if that includes a recent incident at a Dick’s Sporting Goods in Fairfield, in which a group of shoplifters were caught on camera walking out of the store carrying piles of merchandise they had not paid for.

In cellphone footage of the incident that was shared on social media Tuesday, and later posted to the Fairfield police’s Facebook page, a group of people are seen grabbing shoes and apparel, and then walking out of the store past a security guard. After a confrontation with the guard, the suspects take off running, scattering some of the stolen items as they flee.

 

It remains unclear if the two shoplifting incidents are related. The East Bay Times has reached out to Dick’s Sporting Goods and the Pleasant Hill Police Department for more information.

Anyone with information about the attempted theft in Pleasant Hill can call police at 925-288-4630 and reference case No. 19-2533. In Fairfield, police have urged anyone with information to contact Det. Christopher Clatterbuck at 707-428-7600.

Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.