Posted on 11/24/2024 5:12:34 AM PST by dennisw
A Connecticut couple stole nearly $1 million worth of Lululemon merchandise during a two-month, cross-country theft spree, cops said.
Jadion Richards, 44, and Akwele Lawes-Richards, 45, were busted on Nov. 14 for swiping the swanky fitness wear from shops in Minnesota, Utah, Colorado, New York and Connecticut since September, according to a criminal complaint obtained by multiple outlets.
The alleged theft-spree came to an end when Lululemon investigators noticed the high theft loss after the pair set off a security alarm while leaving a store in Woodbury, Minnesota.
Richards accused store employees of racially profiling him, according to the complaint, but the company investigator alleged the couple had stolen at least 45 items valued at $5,000 from several different locations the day before.
Officers arrested the couple and found several credit and debit cards, as well as a room key to a Marriott hotel room — where they discovered 12 suitcases, three of which were filled with Lululemon products worth approximately $50,000, according to the complaint.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Lulu policies practically beg thieves to steal from them. But these two did it so much they had no time to steal from others.
I cannot blame them. They’re black.
The alleged theft-spree came to an end when Lululemon investigators noticed the high theft loss after the pair set off a security alarm while leaving a store in Woodbury, Minnesota.
Akwele Lawes-Richards, 45, and Jadion Richards, 44, were each charged with organized retail theft.I don’t yet comprehend how the woman was able to walk with a mega-ton rear end like hers. Amazing!
They both look like they’ve had bad plastic surgery.
I have no understanding why anyone thinks that's attractive.
https://hiphopwired.com/2486500/couple-arrested-stealing-lululemon-product-nationwide/
Per the above, both are out on bail.
Based on the available information, there is no direct evidence that Jadion Richards, 44, and Akwele Lawes-Richards, 45, sold the allegedly stolen Lululemon merchandise online. However, the couple is accused of being part of a sophisticated organized retail theft operation that involved a specific method for profiting from the stolen goods:
The couple allegedly stole Lululemon products from various stores across multiple states, including Minnesota, Utah, Colorado, New York, and Connecticut12.
Instead of selling the items online, their reported method was to transport the stolen merchandise to different states and exchange it for fraudulent refunds24.
This process was described as a “never-ending cycle” that accumulated approximately $1 million in stolen merchandise from Lululemon locations nationwide4.
The couple’s alleged modus operandi involved stealing items from one Lululemon store and then returning them to a different store for fraudulent refunds, rather than selling them online2.
When arrested, law enforcement discovered 12 suitcases in their hotel room, with three of them containing an estimated $50,000 worth of Lululemon apparel34.
While online selling is a common method for disposing of stolen goods, the information provided does not mention any online sales activities by the couple. Instead, it appears they focused on exploiting Lululemon’s return policy to convert the stolen merchandise into cash through in-store refunds.
Per NBC News:
An investigator for Lululemon said the couple and the organized crime group they work for had been stealing from stores across the country since September and are responsible for nearly $1 million worth of financial loss for the company, per the complaint.
The investigator explained how the couple allegedly run their theft scheme, with Richards typically entering the store first and purchasing a couple of small items. Richards and Lawes-Richards would then remove a security sensor from another item in the store that they’d attach to the small items Richards purchased, then steal other items that they’d conceal under their clothes and jackets.
Lawes-Richards and a third person would walk out of the store ahead of Richards with the stolen items, and when the security sensor at the store would beep, Richards would offer his bag that contained the small purchased item with a sensor attached to it to staff, according to the complaint. The couple would then take the stolen items to another store to exchange them without a receipt.
Had to look up what Lululemon was. I guess it’s what the fancy people wear to work out in. I bought no-brand tees and shorts in bulk to work out/go outside and play in, and now they’re old but still holding up so I guess they weren’t of that bad quality after all.
God on the other hand has that pesky 8th commandment...Thou shalt not steal.
"Why is it always them, Yogi?"
Forget at night, in a dark alley. Those two would scare the daylights out of you on a bright, unclouded day among a throng of people. Hollywood horror show potential.
I used to see chicks like that trawling K Street at 11pm back in the day. They didn’t get paid as much as the other K Streeters who plied their trade over at the Hill at 11am. At least they had a mutual respect for their shared profession.
When life gives you lululemons, make lululemonade.
In her confession, the woman wrote “Yada yada yada and I got a bunch of free Lululemon stuff.”
It’s them again, Yogi.
💯.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
