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The shoplifters filled bags with items purloined from the stores, which include locations in Bayonne and Jersey City, said Chief of Police Michael Kelly.
Twenty- three people have been charged so far but the investigation is continuing, authorities said.
The arrests were the result of undercover surveillance operations launched in Jersey City after police there learned of similar incidents in Bayonne.
Officials did not release precise amounts, but said the thefts totaled millions of dollars in items, which were re-sold on the online auction site eBay.
"It's almost incredible to talk to you about the volume of products taken from the stores," Kelly said, adding that the thefts were not reported by the stores but were detected through police surveillance.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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