Police say they made 40 arrests, of people between 11 and 60 years of age, during a five-day sting focused on alleged shoplifters in Moline.
Investigators and loss prevention specialists worked together at nine stores - along John Deere Road and at SouthPark Mall - including Walmart, Hy-Vee, K-Mart, JC Penney, Farm and Fleet, Gordmans, Von Maur, Victoria's Secret and Hobby Lobby.
It's part of ongoing efforts to address shoplifting, which police said results in more than $1-million in losses along the John Deere Road Corridor.
"The majority of those arrested were in their twenties and thirties, with offender ages ranging from the youngest at 11 years old, to the oldest at 60," said Detective Scott Williams of the Moline Police Department. "Twenty-two were male and 18 were female."
A total of 40 arrests were made during the special enforcement between July 14 and July 18, 2014.
Seventeen of the accused people were issued MUNICES citations, which are administrative citations that don't require a court appearance before a judge. "There are no public defenders and no right to a jury in these administrative hearings," according to information about MUNICES on the Rock Island County website. Instead, a hearing officer makes a determination after being presented with both sides of a case.
Eighteen others were arrested and charged with misdemeanor retail theft, and five were charged with felony retail theft, Williams said.