More than $20,000 in garments stolen from mall stores
Jolene CraigVIENNA - Vienna Police Department is investigating two grand larceny events that equal more than $20,000 in loss from stores in Grand Central Mall Friday.
The Victoria's Secret and Aeropostale stores in the mall reported that thousands of dollars of merchandise were taken from their stores between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., said Sgt. R.W. Shuman with the Vienna Police Department.
Victoria's Secret reported about 400 bras and 350 pairs of panties to equal about $23,000 and Aeropostale reported more than $2,000 worth of T-shirts missing.
"We think the suspects are taking in bags that are lined with something to keep the store alarms from setting off," Shuman said. "And, while one or two of the suspects keep the store employees busy, the other person or people go through the store and empty the drawers."
It is unknown if the incidents at the two stores are related, although they took place on the same day in the same time period.
"It's just hard to tell," Shuman said.
According to reports, the suspects may be Hispanic and possibly drive a white mini van, but the descriptions are not certain.
"Some witnesses in the mall noticed a small group of people going into and out of Victoria's Secret with large bags several times in those hours and get into the same vehicle," Shuman said. "But it is difficult to find these people because we can't stop every white mini van in the area."
Shuman said Victoria's Secret reported a similar incident in May, which resulted in the loss of about $7,500 in merchandise. That first incident occurred after another Victoria's Secret in Kentucky reported a similar theft.
"This type of thing happens in big cities nearly daily, but not around here," Shuman said.
Limited Brands, which owns Victoria's Secret, released the following statement concerning the incidents: "Limited Brands values its relationship with law enforcement and works aggressively with them to deter and identify criminals of theft.
"We continue to cooperate fully with authorities to prosecute these criminals."
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fisherman
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06-30-09 7:47 PM
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I know clothing there can be pretty skimpy. But its my opinion that there is NO WAY in the world that many articles could have been stolen in three hours without someone in the store having knowledge. I don't care how busy or detained they were. I think investigators might even want to start by looking at inventory receiving records first. Also doesn't the Mall security cameras work! Hey guys film at 11:00 lets get real.
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singlemomof2
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06-30-09 7:15 PM
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if you check out the purses the women at the grocery store carry, and you check out the strings that vickies claims are panties, its not hard to fathom 50 pair gone in a flash!
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pioflady
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06-30-09 6:47 PM
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Wow, This really has nothing to do with Obama. It would have nothing to do with Bush if he were still in office. It has to do with being a d a m n thief! Politicians do not control your mind. YOU do and the more I sit an think about this story, I hope the police look long and hard at the girls at the store. This seems to be beyond ridiculous that over the course of 3 hours basically the same "type" of people continue to go into their store with large bags and nobody notice.
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bobzim
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06-30-09 4:31 PM
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Foil-lined bags?......Ask MrAlex about that. He knows a lot about foil. He wears a hat made out of foil to deflect the evil Obama mind control rays. He's so much smarter than the rest of us!
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RoanokeRich
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06-30-09 11:36 AM
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I'm fairly certain that a quick trip to Rinks would turn up the culprits.
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MatthewBB
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06-30-09 8:18 AM
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MrAlex, that is one of the most insanely idiotic statements I have ever heard. At no point in your ramblings did you come close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. We are all dumber for having read that. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
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Rakeer
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06-30-09 8:13 AM
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Ebay might be a good place to start looking for the stolen goods. I seriously doubt if the stuff was stolen just for fun, someone is going to make money from it.
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Pcchix
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06-30-09 7:51 AM
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MrAlex - get a life and stop blaming Obama for everything. Like there was never crime before now. Why not use all that energy on something positvie for a change. Like this administration or not, it's what we have and we need to work together.
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mythravere
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06-30-09 7:46 AM
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If the bags where indeed lined with something I think I know exactly what it was. Aluminum foil or aluminum tape. There are websites that give explicit instructions on how to defeat anti-theft countermeasures. The people who did this are probably not even from around here and are on there way to another job. 400 bras would take time to bag up unnoticed though. So either the employees where distracted or where not vigilant enough. Bet they will be now.
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tubaman
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06-30-09 7:45 AM
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Once again, MrAlex is right on the money. If our economy wasn't in such a shambles because of Obama's planned corporate tax hikes, people wouldn't have to arrange wholesale robberies from local stores. Having said this, I wonder if these guys are selling those bras at wholesale prices somewhere? People could use a price break.
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averageguy
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06-30-09 7:29 AM
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Thieves watch for the stores that are lightly staffed on certain days. All it takes is a couple of decoys to keep the staff busy. Victoria's would be an easy hit because of the "room" style layout. Lots of places to hide in and stuff into bags.
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dad2demons
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06-30-09 6:38 AM
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Obama did steal them. what ever crook is in the whitehouse makes no difference. theives are theives they will steal it just to do it.
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yellingsoccermom
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06-30-09 1:11 AM
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Inside job....possibly?
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EmilyL
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06-30-09 12:55 AM
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Wouldn't it make sense to lock the drawers that store these items?
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pioflady
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06-30-09 12:31 AM
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I hope I didn't offend anyone, but the employees had to have noticed something fishy. I am sure they are not standing there with there heads in the clouds. And I said shoulder bags because any other type bag would automatically seem suspect, such as backpack and so on. Because I would hope no one would walk into a store with a lined trash bag and not be noticed
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pioflady
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06-30-09 12:27 AM
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Maybe I am not educated enough to understand how 400 bras and 350 pairs of panties could be stolen. It seems almost impossible. But I guess it happened. And where in the world are people getting shoulder bags that large?? And wouldn't a store employee notice something that large? And where were All of the employees? I have heard of customer service but does it take all employees to focus on one or two people??
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