Police say the ring was centered on four downtown Portland food vendors. Certain employees were buying the goods and the theft suspects were using the money to support drug habits, according to the investigators.

Some of the transactions were captured on video by police stationed who shot the footage from windows in skyscrapers adjacent to the parking lot the food vendors are located. 

Employees at two food vendors, King Burrito and Loco Locos Burrito, which are situated next to each other at Southwest 5th Avenue and Southwest Oak Street, were among those arrested

Employees at a nearby Pizza Schmizza and another mobile food vendor, El Original Chile Rellano, were also brought in for questioning.

Police said they learned of the arrangement between the thieves and buyers after they arrested James Younce, 29, on drug possession and shoplifting charges.

Younce said he stole items and sold them to support his heroin habit.

An undercover officer then developed a relationship with the suspected buyers, who police said would sometimes give him lists of items they wanted him to steal.

Police said the suspects bought the goods even though it was made clear they were stolen. The employees bought over three dozen items over the course of the investigation, which began in September.

Those items were actually donated by businesses cooperating in the investigation, according to a police press release.

Police said they suspect the illegal activity was well established and had been going on for years.

They said that their undercover officer had to stand in line to make the bust while other people tried to sell stolen goods to the food vendor employees. 

Those arrested in the investigation include:

Anna Maria Saucedo, 37 
Adrian Saldana-Galvez, 35 
Nohemi Mendez-Rivera, 34 
Octavio Hernandez, 22 
Maria Baltierra, 33 
Enriqueta Quezada, 68 

The investigation is continuing.