Two Arrested in Multi-State Retail Theft Investigation

McCracken County (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — Authorities say two people have been arrested in connection with a multi-state retail theft ring following an investigation involving the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations.

Investigators say the case began on March 3, 2026, when Homeland Security alerted deputies that a pair had allegedly stolen merchandise from a home improvement store in Mayfield.

Deputies later located the suspects’ vehicle on Interstate 24 near the Ohio River bridge and conducted a traffic stop. The individuals were identified as Majkel Malinowski, 37, and Margarita Kaminska, 36, both citizens of Poland who investigators say were in the United States illegally.

During the stop, detectives discovered packaging materials from a shipping company. A search warrant was later executed at the shipping facility, where investigators recovered a package the suspects had shipped shortly before the stop. Authorities say the package contained more than $3,000 in stolen merchandise from the store.

Investigators determined the items were being sent to an address in Chicago, where police believe multiple packages containing stolen goods from across the country had previously been delivered.

Authorities say the suspects had visited stores in Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio, allegedly stealing items and shipping them to the Chicago location.

Malinowski and Kaminska were booked into the McCracken County Jail and charged with receiving stolen property over $1,000, possession of burglary tools, and engaging in organized crime. They also face additional charges related to the theft in Graves County.