CHESTERFIELD, Mo. – A years-long retail theft scheme unraveled when an undercover Chesterfield police officer posing as a buyer exposed a Ferguson woman selling stolen goods on Facebook, leading to the seizure of more than $25,000 worth of merchandise.

Chesterfield police were tipped off about suspicious online activity, where a woman was selling new clothing for steep discounts on Facebook Marketplace.

Tyisha Acoff, now facing a felony charge of receiving stolen property, was arrested after police linked her online sales to a string of thefts at multiple local retail stores.

Starting back in November, investigators quickly established a pattern: her car had been spotted at or near the scenes of reported thefts, and the merchandise she was selling closely matched stolen inventory from the same stores such as Nike and Ulta.

An undercover officer posing as a customer met Acoff at her Ferguson home and purchased $150 worth of brand-new clothing for just $40. During the sting operation, the officer noted piles of retail merchandise, many items still with tags, scattered throughout the home.

The following day, police executed a search warrant, uncovering an extensive stash of stolen goods, including clothing, accessories, and a large stock of detached security tags.

When officers took Acoff into custody, she reportedly admitted to the scheme, telling them, “I know why y’all here, it’s because of me boostin’.”

“Boosting is just concealing items without paying for them and reselling them. It looks like today’s method is social media and it looked like she was fairly successful,” Sgt. Robert Powell, a Chesterfield Police Department spokesman, said.

Police said Acoff confessed to working with others and said the operation had been running for years. Now, authorities continue investigating the full scope of the retail theft ring.

“Trust us to do our jobs and this is a highlight of what can happen when the community reaches out to its police department,” Powell said.