Police have arrested six people they say shoplifted from multiple retail stores, including every Victoria's Secret in Gwinnett County, stealing more than $300,000 in items.
Investigators said the suspects worked in two separate shoplifting crews and are seeking another person on a felony shoplifting warrant, Channel 2 Action News reported. The thieves were captured on camera shoving items into garbage bags and shopping totes before running out of the stores.
“I was able to see that the same people were coming in time and time again, sometimes multiple times in a single day,” said Cpl. Brandon Townley, who investigated the thefts for months before the recent arrests.
Surveillance footage shows shoplifters clearing entire tables of clothes and underwear in seconds before fleeing with the stolen goods.
While the shoplifters have hit a variety of different stores, they most frequently targeted Victoria’s Secret, Townley said. The thefts have not been contained to Gwinnett County; Townley said the crews have also targeted Victoria’s Secret locations in Cobb, Hall and Fulton counties as well.
“If they’ve got a Victoria’s Secret in metro Atlanta, they’ve probably been a victim, whether they realize it or not, they’re probably a victim of these crews,” Townley said.
The people charged in connection with these thefts are:
• Shydajha Johnson, 20, of Athens, charged with three counts of felony shoplifting
• Akasia Ford, 20, of Athens, charged with one count of felony shoplifting
• Deonte Walton, 23, of Athens, charged with one count of felony shoplifting
• Christya James, 27, of Atlanta, charged with one count of felony shoplifting
• Tearia Hicks, 24, of Norcross, charged with three counts of felony shoplifting
• Cedronia Johnson, charged with one count of felony shoplifting (her age and location was not immediately available)
Police have also taken a felony shoplifting warrant out for Elantra Roach, who has not been apprehended.
Shydajha Johnson, Ford, Walton and Roach are believed to be part of one crew, and James, Hicks and Cedronia Johnson are believed to be part of another group, Channel 2 reported.
Cox Media Group
