Thieves Enter Victoria’s Secret, Leave with Trash Bags Full of Merchandise
CITRUS HEIGHTS CA October 13 2019 — A group of thieves left Sunrise Mall with trash bags full of Victoria’s Secret merchandise.
Across from Sunrise Mall, a similar crime happened at Ulta Beauty and police are currently investigating whether those robberies are connected.
“It’s sad, but it’s not surprising,” Citrus Heights resident Kasie Kellar told FOX40.
The robbery was caught on film when someone at the store used their cell phone to record the three thieves.
Shoppers watched in disbelief as three people stuffed large trash bags with clothes and other accessories.
“That’s crazy. People really don’t care anymore,” resident Rose Gomez said.
The thieves walked into Victoria’s Secret without hiding their identities, and they walked out with more than $6,000 in merchandise, according to police.
“The store alarms that were going off and the fact that people were videotaping them did not seem to bother the suspects at all,” Lt. Davis Gutierrez told FOX40. “They came in, stole the merchandise and fled the scene.”
Many large retailers have policies that tell employees not to engage during crimes.
“I can’t imagine that they get paid enough to fight for merchandise,” Kellar said.
Police say it’s better to call 911 right away than for bystanders to risk making a citizen’s arrest.
“If I saw them do it, I would blow the whistle on them,” resident William Bowns said. “Seriously, I would.”
Grab and dash crimes like the one at Victoria’s Secret are happening more often, according to police.
“It is a concern. These types of crimes are on the rise everywhere in the region,” Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez says part of the problem can be attributed to the passage of Proposition 47, which more than doubled the threshold for felony theft in California.
“There are some individuals who will tell law enforcement that they know it’s a misdemeanor, so they’re OK with stealing and just getting a citation for that crime,” Gutierrez said.
Shoppers, however, say something should be done.
“I think if they got tougher on people then it would stop,” Bowns said.
Police say the three women will face felony charges for robbery and conspiracy because of the large amount of merchandise stolen.
The women fled the scene in a white Hyundai Sonata, according to police.
If you recognize the suspects, you are urged to contact the Citrus Heights Police Department.
FOX40
