High-end shops in Soho and the West Village of New York City are targets for thieves after a group of criminals stole $30,000 worth of goods from Lululemon as a security guard watched.
On August 16, seven burglars, ranging in age from 30 to 50, entered the store at 14th Street and 9th Avenue with empty trolleys and laundry bags. As the security guard nonchalantly looked on, they quickly snatched piles of items before speeding out, according to police.
The security guard calmly observed the shoplifting in progress as the criminals entered and exited the store separately about midday with thousands of dollars’ worth of products.
While another thief struggled to pack all the clothing he had gathered into a bag in front of the security guard, who made no move, the first one fled with a cart full of stolen stuff.
A second woman left the shop carrying a full bag. The group took off in an unidentified direction.
The Lululemon robbery’s four male perpetrators and three female accomplices are still at large as the city continues to be invaded by robberies.
This includes a dangerous pursuit for a thief who committed repeated burglaries at upscale stores in the same locations, totaling $62,000 in stolen goods.
On July 14 at 8:05 am, surveillance footage captured the unnamed robber stealing into a Rag and Bone store on 104 Christopher Street. He made off with clothing valued $7,900.
Before pushing the glass frame and crawling inside the store, the suspect waited in wait outside the front entrance. Then, without any alarms going off, he packed a garbage bag with garments and walked out. According to NBC New York, the burglary took place for five minutes.
The suspect was described by police as a black man in his mid-thirties, probably 35 years old, who was 5’7″ tall and weighed about 180 pounds.
In the video of the heist from the Rag and Bone store, he was also seen sporting a black bob hat and a brown jacket.
Additional video also shows the man robbing Meermin Shoes on 123 Mercer Street at 6.20 a.m. on July 5 of apparel valued at $3,400.
In the West Village and SoHo, the thief committed similar crimes at five additional high-end luxury stores, including Bonobos on Crosby Street, Christian Louboutin at the corner of Horatio and Greenwich Streets, Scotch & Soda on Bleecker Street, Loro Piana on Ninth Avenue, and A.P.C. on West 4th Street.
The suspect’s most successful break-in occurred on July 17, when he allegedly stole clothes from Christian Louboutin that was worth an estimated $26,500, according to the NYPD.
Except for one incident, when the thief broke into a Loro Piana store at 1am on July 17, all of the burglaries occurred before or after business opening hours, frequently between the hours of 5am and 9am.
Every burglary occurred over a three-week period from July 3 to July 23, with the thief always breaking into establishments when there were no customers or employees present.
The Loro Piana Boutique on Ninth Avenue was the only establishment the suspect avoided robbing, according to the police.
While this is happening, several security personnel have expressed hopelessness as the criminals flee with thousands of dollars’ worth of goods.
Manager of Marni Kristin Aureden told The New York Post that employees at the 159–161 Mercer St. store simply let burglars roam free.
“We don’t argue. We do not comply. Aureden told The Post, “We just let it go.
There’s no point in stopping individuals, added a different security guard from the Dior store at 105 Greene St.
You can’t predict what they’ll do, he said. Furthermore, everything is insured.
According to figures from the NYPD, major crime in NYC has increased by 35% since this time last year. The crime wave is being fueled by robberies, grand thefts, and vehicle thefts.
Through August 21, 2022, there were nearly 3,000 more robberies reported to the NYPD than there were in the previous year.
Although there have been fewer homicides and shooting victims this year than previous, the number of felony assaults and rapes has increased somewhat.
Mayor Eric Adams said he won’t consider requests to reduce the number of police in the city, but he will forbid the NYPD from exercising “heavy-handed” policing.
The mayor stated last week that police personnel are a crucial component of his “public safety apparatus” and that “you can’t eliminate cops from this equation,” which also involves addressing homelessness and enhancing the educational system.
He continued, “I’m not going to be inconsistent and not talk about the violence that has transpired in our cities every day,” adding that he had no intention of stopping his discussion on crime in New York.