Shoplifting cases across our nation are ever so present. Shoplifting cases in New Jersey, Washington, Texas, and Detroit are some of the examples of what the retail industry faces every single day. Shoplifting rings are as prevalent as the shoplifting individual, and the economic hardship the stores suffer because of it can be devastating for the store and for the economic growth of a community.
Read more news about shoplifting by following the links below.
Shoplifting Suspects Possibly Part of a Ring
Police believe they may have busted up part of a shoplifting ring. Three women were arrested over the weekend, accused of stealing from a Gaithersburg store. Investigators believe at least one of them also hit a Lord & Taylor where a security guard was pepper-sprayed Friday.
Police believe they’ve busted up part of a shoplifting ring in Montgomery County.
Groups of women have been targeting stores in the area and even pepper-sprayed an employee at one last week.
Shoplifters hit two Lord & Taylor stores Friday and a Burlington Coat Factory Saturday, where three were arrested.
“Them stealing from stores brings up our prices, and we have to pay more, so it is a concern of ours,” said Gaithersburg police Officer Dan Lane.
Police arrested Ikia Williams, Shantel Dorsey and a third woman Saturday. At least one of them is suspected in the pepper-spraying of a Lord & Taylor security guard.
Detroit Police Bust Shoplifting Ring Accused Of Stealing $15K Of Stuff Per Day
While you might think you know about shoplifting based on that ill-advised stint in middle school when everyone was doing it, cops in Detroit have fried a much bigger fish than your normal grab-and-go thieves: Investigators say they’ve just busted a shoplifting ring responsible for stealing as much as $15,000 worth of merchandise a day and reselling it on the Internet.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the accused thieves worked out of a 7,600-square-foot warehouse that served as the hub for the multimillion-dollar theft ring. Cops say it’s the largest such operation they’ve seen.
The county sheriff called the operation “amazing in size and scope,” and said it probably has been doing business for years before drug investigators happened upon it last month.
Investigators say the shoplifters were given shopping lists of what to steal, like cold medicine, antacids and other over-the-counter drugs from CVS, Walgreens and others. Theft of those items led investigators to the ring, thinking perhaps it was connected to making methamphetamine.
The “shoppers” would then wear special clothing designed to hide their ill-gotten gains, stuff their pockets full and bring the goods to the warehouse. They were allegedly paid $2,500 in cash per day for their hauls.
Two Deputies Hurt as Shoplifting Suspect Flees
Two alleged shoplifters face charges in connection with a knife attack on a Loss Prevention Employee at Park City Center. City police responded to a call at about 1:30 pm to Boscov’s Park City store where Loss Prevention employees were holding two shoplifters. Before officers could arrive on the scene one of the male suspect produced knife. He stabbed the employee on the hand and then he and the female fled on foot.
The first officers began to arrive on the scene. After seeing that the employee was being taken care of, they pursued the suspects. The female was apprehended after a short chase. Other officers spotted the male suspect running across a parking lot and back inside Park City. Converging police caught up with the suspect in a common area outside J.C. Penney without further incident.
Witnesses positively identified the suspect who taken to police headquarters in downtown Lancaster. The knife used in the assault was also recovered. Witnesses told police that the suspects had been confronted regarding thefts from multiple retailers in Park City. When the male suspect produced the knife and cut the employee, he then held the knife to the employees throat and threaten to harm again. The male told the female to collect the loot that had been confiscated. The female put the loot into her purse.
Two Loudoun County Sheriff’s deputies were injured when they tried to stop a shoplifter from fleeing the scene on Saturday afternoon.
Police said a suspect was trying to take two televisions from a Costco store in Sterling, Va., when deputies confronted him. The suspect got into his car and closed the door on one deputy’s hand.
A second deputy tried to grab the suspect through the window, but the suspect began driving away.
“This individual drove off and dragged one of our deputies approximately 60 feet,” Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman said.
