Nov. 28, 2025 — Redmond, Washington, police arrested 25-year-old Laurentiu Miclescu and a juvenile female accomplice after a sting operation targeting a retail theft ring that hit Guitar Center stores in Washington, California, and Oregon.
The arrests stemmed from a Nov. 24 theft at the Guitar Center in the 7400 block of 164th Avenue NE in Redmond Town Square, where security footage captured the pair concealing two high-value guitars under a jacket and fleeing the store unnoticed.
Redmond officers began investigating on Nov. 26 after the incident. The suspects were linked to thefts at least four Guitar Center locations across the three states, with stolen items listed for resale online.
A Guitar Center employee in another state spotted the Redmond-stolen guitars in an online advertisement and recognized the suspects from prior incidents, according to Redmond police. A detective contacted Miclescu through the listing and arranged a controlled buy, leading to the arrests without incident on Nov. 28.
Miclescu was charged on Dec. 3 with first-degree organized retail theft and first-degree trafficking in stolen property, Redmond police reported. Charges for the juvenile female were not specified.
Redmond police encourage retailers to remain vigilant. Organized theft groups often use distraction techniques, such as splitting up, engaging employees in conversation, or concealing items under clothing to quickly remove high-value merchandise. Please report suspicious behavior immediately.
The operation highlights ongoing efforts to combat organized retail theft, with police crediting inter-state retailer cooperation for the breakthrough, as detailed in KIRO 7 coverage.
