NEW JERSEY WOMAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR HER PARTICIPATION IN ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT AT EAST HAMPTON BALENCIAGA STORE

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Baseemah Davis was sentenced to 2 to 6 years in prison for her part in stealing merchandise from the East Hampton Balenciaga retail store in March 2022.   

“Large-scale retail theft results in consequences for our communities. These consequences are felt by store owners and by consumers, who ultimately must bear the costs of such activity through increased prices and the unavailability of certain goods,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Each of the involved defendants arrested in this particular organized retail theft ring have now pleaded guilty and will serve significant sentences in state prison, which is a just consequence for their selfish and dangerous actions.”

Davis, 34, pleaded guilty in August 2022 to Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree.   

Davis and co-defendants Ali Harris, 29, Wazir Rodgers, 25 and Jamal Johns, 26, all of Newark, New Jersey were arrested on March 3, 2022 shortly after they were captured on surveillance video stealing nearly $94,000 worth of handbags from the retail luxury store.  The group were assisted by an unidentified female accomplice.

The store video showed that at approximately 1:30 p.m., a female subject entered Balenciaga wearing a pink ski-type mask over her face and sunglasses.  The woman appeared to be on her cell phone as she walked around the store and looked at various handbags.  After a short time, she asked a store employee to check if they had a shoe in a particular size. 

As alleged in court documents, when the employee attempted to retrieve the shoes for her, Davis, Harris, Rodgers and Johns, rushed into the store and hurriedly began taking luxury handbags from the shelves.  After taking several bags each, all five individuals ran out of the store.  They then got into a Dodge Durango and fled. 

Responding officers from the East Hampton Village Police Department (EHVPD) located the fleeing Durango and began a pursuit.  Shortly afterwards, a New York State Trooper also observed the Durango and initiated a pursuit.  The Trooper followed the Durango as it exited Sunrise Highway at Exit 62 and headed north on Route 111.  The Durango began traveling at speeds in excess of 100 mph and was observed veering into on-coming traffic lanes, causing law enforcement to abandon the pursuit for safety reasons. The Trooper again saw the Durango heading westbound on the LIE with smoke coming out of the rear of the vehicle. He followed the vehicle from a safe distance and observed it exit the LIE at Exit 69, where the subjects stopped and got out. Three of them ran toward a wooded area just north of their location, while two subjects remained near the vehicle. 

An ensuing search of the area led to the arrests of Davis, Rogers, Harris, Johns, as well as the recovery of 34 of the stolen handbags.  An investigation to locate the unidentified female accomplice is ongoing.

Davis was sentenced today before County Court Judge, the Honorable Anthony S. Senft, Jr. She was represented by Daniel Schilling, Esq.

Johns pleaded guilty in September 2022 to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree. He was sentenced to 3.5 to 7 years in prison in November 2022. He was represented by John LoTurco, Esq.

Rodgers pleaded guilty in October 2022 to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Second Degree in October 2022 and was sentenced to 3 to 9 years of imprisonment that same month.  He was represented by Steven Wilutis, Esq.

Harris pleaded guilty in October 2022 to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Second Degree and was sentenced to 3 to 9 years of imprisonment in December 2022. Harris was represented by Jason Bassett, Esq.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney James J. O’Rourke, IV, of the Major Crime Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Johanna Poremba of the Case Advisory Bureau.

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Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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