A Connecticut couple has been charged for the theft of a million dollars worth of merchandise from Lululemon stores in at least five states.
The New York Times reports that 44-year-old Jadion Anthony Richards and 45-year-old Akwele Nickeisha Lawes-Richards of Danbury, Conn. have both been charged with one felony count of organized retail theft connected to a series of crimes that began in September.
The two are believed to be part of a retail theft operation, according to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office in Minnesota. They were apprehended at a Lululemon store in Woodbury, Minn. just one day after they stole 45 items worth almost $5,000 at a Lululemon location in Roseville, Minn.
According to court records, the couple, who started off by stealing from Minnesota stores in Minnetonka, Edina, and Minneapolis, as well as other locations in New York, Utah, Colorado, and Connecticut, had more than $50,000 in Lululemon merchandise at the time of their arrest in their hotel in Bloomington, Minn.
The way that their theft worked, according to an investigator, would be that Richards would go buy an item or two in a store. Then, the couple would take off a security tag from another item and then attach it to one of the items that Richards just purchased. Then, they’d put merchandise under their clothes as well.
When the Lululemon location’s alarm would go off, Richards would show what he just purchased to the employees. While this is happening, a third person that would be with them would then leave with whatever they stole. The next step of the process would be to go to another store and exchange the clothes without a receipt.
After exchanging the clothes for new items, they’d make sure what they purchased slightly exceeded the value of what they stole, causing them to have to pay the difference and then receiving a receipt for their (now) purchase. After that, they’d go to a different store and return the items to receive a full refund.
According to court records, Lululemon estimates that the company has lost nearly $1 million dollars because of these thefts.
Both Richards and Lawes-Richards face up to 15 years in prison and a $35,000 fine.
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