Manhattan's Beauty Supply Store Merchants Were Indicted For Trading Pilfered Items

 Two proprietors of a Manhattan beauty supply shop, Rehana's Cosmetics, Inc., were accused of selling over $1 million worth of pilfered items. The merchandise was purportedly stolen from various merchants, including Macy’s, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Victoria’s Secret, and Bath & Body Works. The owners, Bibi Rehana Khan and Aaron Khan, were indicted on charges of criminal possession of stolen property. A search of their store and adjacent storage units revealed a vast trove of stolen goods, sufficient to fill 450 cardboard boxes. The recovered articles encompassed beauty cosmetics, apparel, designer handbags, playthings, kitchen utensils, and over-the-counter medications. Prosecutors assert that the shop was a well-known venue for reselling stolen merchandise. This crime is indicative of a broader pattern of escalating commercial theft. A national enforcement initiative targeting retail theft, and encompassing over 100 areas and 30 merchants, has resulted in numerous apprehensions. Organized commercial theft, where teams of criminals collaborate to pilfer and resell merchandise, has surged in recent times. Retailers documented a 93% rise in shoplifting occurrences and a 90% increase in related financial losses in recent years.