A 60-year-old man is charged with three felony counts of organized retail theft for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise from Ulta Beauty stores all over King County, including the one in Westwood Village.

(Images from charging documents, showing Gama at WWV Ulta store)

David J. Gama is charged in 24 thefts over 55 days from November to early January, with stolen merchandise estimated to total well into five figures, including an almost-thousand-dollar theft from the Westwood store on December 1, a $400+ theft there five days later, a $1,600+ theft there the net day, a $500+ theft three on December 18, a $300+ theft there on New Year’s Day, and a $200+ theft there on January 4. The charging documents provided by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office describe most of the stolen merchandise as “fragrance.”

The documents also say Gama has been the subject of 75 arrest warrants dating back to 1980, and that his record includes five felony convictions, 19 gross misdemeanors, and 11 misdemeanors. He’s been in jail since last Friday, in lieu of $50,000 bail. He pleaded not guilty at arraignment this morning. KCPAO spokesperson Casey McNerthney explains that felony charges are not common in shoplifting cases: “The overwhelming majority of shoplifting cases are misdemeanor offenses under the law, meaning that they are handled at the city level and do not come to King County prosecutors. When you have evidence to show organized retail theft allegations in cases such as this one, a case are referred by police investigators as a felony referral.”