A Shoplifting Ring Is Sweeping Chicago, Cleaning Out Stores Of All Kinds While Workers Are Forced To Stand There And Watch

 CWB Chicago - A sometimes violent shoplifting team has repeatedly raided high-end retailers to steal expensive purses along the Magnificent Mile, Oak Street, and Rush Street this month, according to several police reports.

But luxury boutiques aren’t the only stores falling victim to organized theft teams. Police are also looking for a two-man team that is stealing bags full of cigarettes from Walgreens locations. And another crew is walking out of Ulta Beauty stores across the city with garbage bags full of stolen products.

Around 4 p.m. Monday, an employee at Bottega Veneta admitted a man into the boutique at 800 North Michigan. About eleven other men poured in behind the first. The crew collected about 35 handbags, which retail for thousands of dollars each, from the shelves and ran out the door, according to a property management company’s email to nearby residents. A police report said the crew escaped in at least two cars, including a gray Honda CRV.

Saturday afternoon, a group of six men walked into Salvatore Ferragamo, 645 North Michigan, but they left without taking anything after apparently becoming spooked. A store employee reportedly recognized some of the men as part of a crew that took $43,000 worth of purses and critically injured the shop’s 73-year-old security guard in August.

About an hour later, around 5:30 p.m., the same men stormed into Burberry, 633 North Michigan, pushed the store’s security guard, and stole nine handbags, according to a police report. They fled in cars that were waiting outside, according to witnesses.

While police did not identify the businesses by name, CWBChicago has learned that all of the stores involved are Ulta Beauty locations.

Since the alerts were issued, garbage bag-wielding thieves hit Ulta at 2754 North Clybourn Avenue around 3:45 p.m. Friday and at 1107 South Delano Court in the South Loop around 12:15 p.m. Sunday.

Can you guys fucking believe this? 

The fact that this is the current state of affairs in the country’s third biggest metropolitan is unbelievable and inconceivable. 

What are all these men doing wanting Ulta products?

Ulta is a premier woman's beauty brand. Not men's. 

Their men's products stink.

Everybody knows that. It’s mens skincare 101.

If you’re gonna go full “super-market sweep” on some beauty store shelves at least make it worth it.

If you're looking for good moisturizer, exfoliaters, shave cream, after shave, etc you have to go with Clarins, Clinique, or Kiehls. Everybody with a brain knows that. 

These guys are fucking idiots.

No wonder the employees were just standing there watching them shovel entire racks of product into garbage bags. 

They probably haven't moved a single unit of the stuff in months.

Amateurs. Morons.