CRANBERRY TWP — Nine men and women are suspected of participating in a retail theft ring responsible for stealing nearly $15,000 in merchandise from stores in Butler and three other counties.

The alleged ring members, all from Washington County, between Oct. 27 and Nov. 26 struck six different Marshall’s stores, including one at the Cranberry Mall, investigators said.

“They were definitely working together,” Cranberry police Sgt. Chuck Mascellino said Monday. “It was pretty well organized.”

District Judge Dave Kovach last week issued felony arrest warrants for Heather Dillon, 36, of McDonald; Cole Littleton, 30, of Joffre; Shawn Lyle, 36, and his wife, Stacey Lyle, 36, both of McDonald; and Richard D. Rodgers Jr., 36, of Hickory.

Warrants also were issued for Rodney D. Shaw, 40, Andrew A. Sines, 28, and Richard Stankowski, 39, all of McDonald; and Tomacina J. Walters, 29, of Slovan.

Cranberry police and state police were to start rounding up the suspects today.

Investigators believe the defendants targeted Marshall’s department stores in Butler, Beaver, Allegheny and Washington counties, stealing clothing items and then returning the stolen items in exchange for gift cards.

The gift cards would then be sold to gold stores, Mascellino said, for “50 cents on the dollar” or so.

The suspects would apparently take turns playing different roles — swiping the items, acting as lookouts and serving as getaway drivers.

Sometimes the designated thieves, as soon as leaving the store, handed off the merchandise to other purported ring members waiting in the parking lot.

Those accomplices, police said, would immediately go into the same store and exchange the items for refunds.

Other times, the stolen items would be taken to different stores for refunds, Mascellino said.

Dillon, Stacey Lyle and Rodgers completed most of the returns, according to court documents.

In just one month’s time, police said, the alleged gang teamed up for 75 separate thefts totaling $14,970.

Investigators, however, acknowledged the defendants could have committed additional related crimes.

Mascellino said store surveillance video helped uncover the suspected theft ring.

Each defendant is charged with corrupt organizations, conspiracy, organized retail theft and theft by deception, all felonies.

Most of the suspects have criminal histories, court records showed.

In Washington County, Shawn Lyle is awaiting trial in a felony drug possession case and Shaw has a pending misdemeanor drug case.

Littleton and Stankowski have prior convictions for misdemeanor drug possession, records showed. Walters has two prior shoplifting convictions.