The Lexington and Nicholasville Police Departments and members the Kentucky Organized Retail Crime Association (KYORCA) carried out a "Holiday Shoplifting Blitz", catching more than 30 people stealing from stores in the Nicholasville Road area including Brannon Crossing.

Officials say the operation ran between December 5 and 7 in multiple stores in the Fayette Mall, Brannon Crossing, and Kohl's drive.

Police say that in many instances, store employees were able to identify frequent shoplifters and pointed them out to police.

"Associates are actually getting tired watching all of their property walk out of the store," said Nicholasville Police Officer Kevin Grimes.

The departments placed undercover officers inside stores. Police say they were able to recover more than $12 thousand dollars worth of property. In total 28 people were arrested, 14 were issued citations including 30 shoplifting-related charges, 4 burglary-related charges, 4 drug-related charges, and 6 financial crime related charges.

Grimes said, "Not only was it hopefully a deterrent but it also allowed stores to focus on some of their loss prevention issues."

Some business owners said they are glad about the arrests, and that just having the extra police presence in the area had an impact.

Two of the people arrested for credit card fraud are from Detroit, Michigan. Police tell WKYT they are suspected of committing similar crimes in other states on their way to Kentucky.

Officials say they will continue the blitz throughout the holiday season.