Twins from San Francisco have been charged Tuesday in a pair of thefts from a Bath & Body Works store at the former Westfield mall.
Emoni and Erykah Thomas, who each turned 21 Tuesday, were arraigned on two felony counts each of organized retail theft, second-degree commercial burglary and grand theft, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said.
The pair pleaded not guilty.
“Organized retail theft cases are being aggressively prosecuted in San Francisco,” Jenkins said in a statement on Wednesday. “This behavior is unacceptable and not welcome in our city."
READ MORE: California Gave Out $267M To Fight Retail Theft. Here’s How Much Will Go to San Francisco
Authorities allege the Thomases participated with others in thefts at the Bath & Body Works store at the mall now called San Francisco Centre on Aug. 8 and 9.
The case is part of a $2 million state grant program focused on prosecuting retail theft rings. Investigators are continuing to work to identify additional suspects from other retail thefts in recent months.
A judge ordered the Thomases detained without bail pending further arguments at their preliminary hearing Dec. 5. They face up to three years and eight months in prison if convicted on all counts.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police.
In a prior statement, police said the Thomases were also arrested Aug. 10 on suspicion of burglarizing a Fillmore Street shop between California and Pine streets alongside multiple suspects.
Officers were able to detain the Thomases, along with an 18-year-old man and three teenage girls, within less than an hour at 23rd and Capp streets and the 24th Street Mission BART station, police said at the time.
In a statement on Nov. 6, police said the Thomases were arrested on suspicion of charges in connection with multiple retail thefts, including alongside three other suspects June 10 on suspicion of robbery from a store on Mission Street between Fremont and First streets.
Over $1,000 in goods was recovered, police said.
They were also arrested Aug. 21 in connection with theft and recovery of over $2,200 worth of goods from a San Bruno Avenue store between Silliman and Felton streets. Six other suspects were arrested that day, as well as Savannah Church, who was charged in September by the District Attorney's Cffice on multiple counts in connection with serial retail crimes.
On Oct. 1, Emoni Thomas allegedly assaulted an employee, causing serious injury, at a Haight Street store between Fillmore and Webster streets, where he and six other suspects allegedly took over $600 in merchandise.
Two days later, two other suspects allegedly joined the Thomases in robbing a San Bruno Avenue store of over $2,300 in goods.