California Woman Arrested For Stealing More Than $300k In Designer Goods

A California woman is facing charges after she reportedly stole more than $300,000 in designer merchandise from retail stores and tried to resell it through an online consignment store.

Ekaterina Zharkova, 38, faces charges of grand theft, receiving stolen property, and petty theft.

Zharkova lifted the items between October 7, 2021, and November 23, 2021, from various Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx stores in Orange County. She was arrested after being observed stealing thousands of dollars of merchandise from a Nordstrom Rack in Costa Mesa.

A search of the thief’s apartment uncovered more than $328,000 worth of stolen goods. Zharkova targeted name-brand goods, including Gucci, Prada, Jimmy Choo, Dodo Bar, and Ramy Brook. 

“Shoplifting and other retail theft is out of control across California as a result of reckless laws that have made the risk far less than the potential reward,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a press release. “These are not victimless crimes, and if you engage in these kinds of outrageous theft schemes, we’re going to arrest you, we’re going to prosecute you, and we’re putting you behind bars.”

Zharkova is facing nine years and two months in prison if convicted on these charges. She also has other outstanding grand theft cases, including in Los Angeles. The shoplifter failed to appear in court last Friday in a separate case and was arrested last weekend. She remains locked up in the Orange County Jail.