Woman uses self-checkout to steal more than $60,000 of items from same Target store over span of a year

(SAN FRANCISCO) — A woman in California has been convicted of stealing over $60,000 worth of merchandise over a span of more than 100 visits to the same Target store in San Francisco, officials said.

Aziza Graves, a 43-year-old woman from San Francisco, allegedly entered the Target location at the Stonestown Galleria on dozens of occasions over the span of more than a year between Oct. 3, 2020 and Nov. 16, 2021, and managed to steal merchandise with a total value in excess of $60,000, according to a statement from the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office last Friday.

“Ms. Graves would enter Target, and then immediately proceed to select merchandise from the shelves,” officials said regarding the case against Graves. “She would then proceed to the self-checkout counter where she would scan each item, insert a nominal amount, such as a single coin or bill, and then exit the store.”

During their investigation, authorities followed and surveilled Graves leaving Target with the unpaid merchandise and was subsequently observed selling her stolen goods at UN Plaza to sellers of stolen property before beginning to sell the stolen goods she obtained to anyone passing by.

After a trial by jury, Graves was convicted last Friday of one felony count of grand theft in violation and 52 misdemeanor counts of petty theft from Target, authorities in San Francisco said. She also was convicted on one count of misdemeanor petty theft in relation to a theft that occurred at an Abercrombie and Fitch location in San Francisco as well.

“Retail theft continues to have a major impact on San Francisco businesses from the small mom-and-pop corner store to the large retail stores,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “Individuals such as Aziza Graves commit egregious thefts through brazen and repeated conduct that greatly impacts retailers’ ability to operate and serve the general public in their area. These crimes demand accountability and we need to send the message to others who engage in open and brash thefts that, with the support of our local law enforcement partners, our office will continue to pursue and prosecute those involved. This verdict emphasizes that the citizens of San Francisco will not tolerate these offenders who attempt to take advantage of our business community.”

Graves is currently out of custody and faces more than three years in state prison for her crimes. Her Sentencing is scheduled for May 24.