Polk County investigators say the two suspects are linked to at least six other retail theft cases elsewhere in Florida.
DAVENPORT, FL — Polk County authorities arrested two Venezuelan nationals accused of stealing more than $2,800 worth of fragrances from an Ulta Beauty store and linked them to a wider series of retail thefts across Florida, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Alex Marcano Osorio, 25, and Genesis Nunez Rodriguez, 30, were taken into custody after investigators said they returned to the Ulta Beauty store at Posner Park in Davenport while detectives were reviewing security footage from an earlier theft. Sheriff Grady Judd said investigators believe the pair is connected to at least six other open retail theft cases in Florida.
Authorities said the investigation began after high-end fragrances valued at $2,817 were taken from the Davenport store. Surveillance cameras recorded the incident, giving investigators images of the people suspected of taking the merchandise. Detectives later went to the store to review the recordings and speak with employees.
While investigators were at the business, Marcano Osorio and Nunez Rodriguez returned to the store, according to Judd. Detectives arrested them there. Authorities have alleged that the pair returned intending to steal additional merchandise, though the criminal allegations have not been proven in court.
The sheriff’s office said investigators subsequently connected the suspects to at least six other unresolved retail theft cases around Florida. Authorities also are investigating allegations that stolen merchandise was being sent to South America. Officials had not publicly provided a complete list of the other stores, jurisdictions or losses connected to those cases.
Judd said both suspects are from Venezuela and are in the United States illegally. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed immigration detainers on them at the Polk County Jail, according to authorities. An immigration detainer asks local officials to notify federal immigration authorities before a person is released so ICE can seek custody under federal immigration law.
Authorities said the suspects face felony theft allegations, and investigators were pursuing organized retail theft charges in connection with the broader investigation. The sheriff’s office had not announced a final total for the merchandise allegedly taken in the other cases or disclosed whether additional suspects had been identified.
The arrests come as Florida law enforcement agencies continue to target organized retail theft cases that cross county lines. State investigators and prosecutors have increasingly used multiagency investigations to pursue cases involving repeated thefts from retailers in different jurisdictions.
The broader investigation remains active, and additional charges could depend on evidence collected from the other Florida cases. Marcano Osorio and Nunez Rodriguez are accused defendants and are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Their immigration cases also remain subject to separate federal proceedings.
Author note: Last updated November 3, 2026.