How Walmart and Target may have worked together to bust a $100,000 AirPods theft ring

Two women from New York, US, have been sentenced to 10 years in prison for operating a multistate retail theft ring involving over $100,000 worth of goods, including Apple AirPods , from Walmart and Target stores. Prosecutors in Cherokee County initially considered charges in May 2024 when Walmart Global Investigations met with their Gang and Organized Crime Unit to discuss a "large theft ring involving both Walmart and Target." The two retail giants collaborated to investigate the thefts by sharing information with each other before contacting law enforcement agencies, according to prosecutors.

From June 2022 through August 2024, the women stole nearly $141,000 worth of merchandise in 187 incidents across 21 states, including Georgia. The women, Ebony Fallon Washington (aka Stephanie Harris), 43, and Melissa Holland (aka Keisha Wilson), 46, pleaded guilty to three counts of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, the Cherokee County District Attorney's Office said to USA Today.


How these women used to steal AirPods from Walmart and Target store


Their scheme involved buying Apple AirPods with cash and using tools to remove the genuine products from their packaging. They would then replace the AirPods with cheaper items and reseal the boxes to appear unopened. The fraudulent items were then returned for full cash refunds. In some cases, the refunded cash was used to purchase more AirPods, continuing the cycle. The authentic Apple products were kept and resold for profit, according to prosecutors.

The suspects were arrested in September 2024 in Coweta County. During a search of their rental car, officers found hotel receipts for locations near the targeted stores and tools for opening AirPods packaging. Prosecutors noted that five cellphones seized from the defendants contained additional evidence.

Each woman received a 10-year prison sentence, followed by 10 years of probation, and was ordered to pay $134,951.86 in restitution—the remaining balance after recovered items were deducted from the total theft value.

A Walmart spokesperson told USA Today on May 9 that the company is deferring further comment to law enforcement, and Target had not responded to requests for comment.

“Organised retail crime is a growing problem not only in our community, but nationwide,” DA Susan Treadaway said in a statement (as seen by USA Today). The DA also noted that these two women were “clearly involved in an organised scheme” that impacted stores “throughout the country.”

Meanwhile, Rachel Murphy, Assistant District Attorney of the Gang and Organized Crime Unit said: “These defendants operated in a coordinated effort with a specific plan in place. Although only two stores in Cherokee County were directly affected, Georgia’s RICO Act enabled us to prosecute this broader criminal enterprise.”