League City police say they've broken up a major organized retail theft operation that hit stores across the city's commercial corridors, recovering more than $400,000 in stolen merchandise and arresting a Houston woman on a first-degree felony charge.

The League City Police Department's Business District Unit arrested Claudia Ivonne Higuera-Torres, 52, of Houston on Tuesday, July 21, and charged her with first-degree felony organized retail theft, according to the city's official announcement published Friday, July 24. A judge set bond at $150,000 but denied her release due to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer.

The haul totaled more than 15,000 individual items. Stores affected included Sephora, Target, Walmart, Kohl's, The Home Depot, lululemon, Bath & Body Works, CVS Pharmacy, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Victoria's Secret, and Walgreens.

How it started

The investigation began Sunday, July 12, when officers responded to what appeared to be a routine theft report at Sephora at Kohl's in League City. The case quickly expanded into a multi-jurisdictional probe spanning multiple cities and counties, the department said.

Flock Safety license plate reader cameras proved critical to cracking the case. The cameras helped investigators identify vehicles tied to the operation, pinpoint when League City businesses were being targeted, and connect thefts across jurisdictions and retailers.

"Organized retail crime impacts businesses, employees, and consumers throughout our communities," LCPD Assistant Chief Stephen Antley said in the department's July 24 announcement. "Through strong partnerships, advanced technology, and relentless investigative work, the BDU was able to identify those responsible and bring a significant criminal operation to an end."

Broader context

The bust is the second major organized retail crime takedown by the BDU in roughly a year. In July 2025, the unit dismantled a statewide Best Buy theft ring that resulted in seven indictments and the recovery of more than $260,000 in stolen property, according to a prior city announcement. Flock Safety cameras aided that investigation as well.

League City currently operates 55 active Flock cameras, with 16 more in the TxDOT permitting process, according to the city's Flock Safety FAQ page. Over the past 12 months, the system has aided 305 criminal investigations. In 2026, Flock cameras have helped officers recover approximately $1 million in stolen property citywide, including vehicles, personal property, and retail merchandise.

Partners and what's next

The Pearland Police Department, Houston Police Department, and Texas Department of Public Safety assisted in the investigation, along with the Texas Organized Retail Crime Association and the Gulf Coast Criminal Investigators Association. Retail partners that aided the probe included TJ Maxx, Randalls, Alo Ulta Beauty, and U-Haul, in addition to the stores listed above.

The investigation remains ongoing. The department said additional arrests and criminal charges are anticipated as investigators continue to identify others involved in the operation. No court date for Higuera-Torres has been announced.