Three Modesto residents were arrested for shoplifting at different stores in Ceres within hours of each other on Monday, Jan. 25.

At 11:54 a.m. a loss prevention officer at the Kmart on Hatch Road called police to report that Sandy Barrera, 54, of Modesto, was in custody for walking out of the store as she concealed $154.84 worth of merchandise without paying for it. Barrera was booked for shoplifting.

Then at 3:31 p.m. Walmart called to say that Ciara Mainard, 32, of Modesto, walked out of their store while concealing $50.99 in goods for which she didn't pay. She also was booked.

At 8:03 p.m., said Ceres Police Department spokesman Lt. James Yandell, Home Depot on Hatch Road called about a shoplifter who used a different method. The Ceres store was put on alert to look for Jose Quintero, 28, of Modesto, who was caught in Modesto switching lower price tags for higher priced merchandise. A loss prevention officer recognized Quintero in the Ceres store doing the same illegal activity. When police arrived to confront Quintero outside the store he immediately reached for his pocket, said Lt. Yandell. Officers took Quintero to the ground and located a stun gun in his pocket. Quintero also had a device used to remove alarm sensors from packages, which netted him a possession of burglary tools charge.

The police investigation revealed that Quintero got out of the store with $339.05 worth of several items which cost him $68.76 because the price switch.

He was also booked on charges of shoplifting, and being a felon in possession of a stun gun.