San Francisco, CA – District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that Emoni Thomas (21) and Erykah Thomas (21) of San Francisco have been charged in connection with a series of commercial burglaries in San Francisco. Emoni and Erykah Thomas were arraigned on November 20, 2023, and pled not guilty to two counts of felony organized retail theft (PC 490.4(a)(1)), two counts of second-degree commercial burglary (PC 459), and two counts of grand theft (PC 487(a)).
“Organized retail theft cases are being aggressively prosecuted in San Francisco,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “This behavior is unacceptable and not welcome in our city. My office is working closely with the San Francisco Police Department and retailors to develop cases and do everything we can in the courtroom to ensure that there is accountability.”
Emoni and Erykah Thomas are alleged to have participated in retail theft incidents on August 8 and August 9, 2023. During this time, it is alleged that they and others stole from a Bath & Body Works location in San Francisco’s Westfield Mall.
This prosecution is part of the District Attorney’s Office’s Organized Retail Theft Vertical Prosecution Grant Program, which is funded by a $2 million grant from the California Board of State and Community Corrections.
Emoni and Erykah Thomas’ next court date is December 5, 2023, for the preliminary hearing in this matter. The District Attorney’s Office moved to detain them pending trial because of the public safety risk. The court granted the People’s motion to detain without prejudice and set no bail for either of them. The court will hear further arguments on the motion to detain at the time of the preliminary hearing in this case. If convicted of all charges each faces up to three years and eight months incarceration.
Although charges have been filed, this remains an active investigation. SFPD and the District Attorney’s Office continue to investigate this series of thefts and are working to identify additional suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.
Court Number: Emoni Thomas, 23018813 and Erykah Thomas, 23018812
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