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PAYSON — Two California men have been arrested in Utah County and accused of stealing baby formula in multiple states.
Costel Fota, 55, and Ionel Fota, 30, both of Vallejo, California, were booked into the Utah County Jail Sunday for investigation of a number of potential charges from several jurisdictions, including engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity, criminal conspiracy and theft.
On Friday, Santaquin police were called to Macey's, 110 N. 400 East, on a report of two men stealing more than $1,600 worth of baby formula. A store manager told officers that "the same suspects also stole a large amount of goods from the Macey's store in Spanish Fork and American Fork. She also told me a loss prevention worker at the Olympus Macey's location was able to get a photo of the suspects' license plate," according to a police booking affidavit.
Video surveillance from the store shows Ionel Fota loading up his shopping cart with baby formula, attempting to conceal the formula with other grocery items, and then waiting for the self-checkout attendant to become occupied by other customers before walking out of the store without paying, the affidavit states.
The two men are also accused of stealing baby formula from the Macey's store in Pleasant Grove, 931 W. State, on Saturday, and then taking more than $2,000 worth of baby formula from the Macey's in Spanish Fork, 187 E. 1000 North, on Sunday, according to police.
After the Sunday theft, police received information that the duo's vehicle was spotted at a fast food restaurant in American Fork.
"Officers shortly made entry into the restaurant. I was the first officer through the door. The suspect was later identified as Ionel, Ionel's back was to me. I immediately told him to put his hands in the air," the arresting officer wrote in a police affidavit.
Police say a translator was used to give the man his Miranda rights and to inform Fota that investigators would be searching his vehicle.
"During this search warrant, we found 45 miscellaneous containers of the stolen baby formula. The formula was found under a blanket in the very rear cabin of the vehicle," an affidavit states.
A short time later, Costel Fota was found at another nearby store and arrested.
Detectives say the men are believed to have stolen baby formula from "multiple stores to include the cities of Santaquin, Spanish Fork, Provo, Pleasant Grove and others in Idaho," and attempted to steal from the Macey's in Millcreek where employees followed one of the men around their store until he "caught on that he was being watched and left," an affidavit says. The employees then followed the man outside and took down his license plate number.
Baby formula thefts have become an issue nationwide in recent years, including in Utah. Police say the formula has been sold on the black market, and is sometimes used by drug dealers to cut drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine.
