Several children part of alleged shoplifting scheme seen in Seattle
Aug 19, 2024, 5:57 PM
Seattle officers have issued a warning to be on the lookout for two to three women and several children, shoplifting together. Little Birds Children's consignment store was hit. (Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)
(Photo: James Lynch, KIRO Newsradio)
Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers have issued a warning to local businesses to be on the lookout for two to three women and several children, shoplifting together.
As first reported by KIRO 7, the shoplifting happened last Thursday at the Vintage Clothing Doll Parts Collective. It then happened again minutes later at Little Birds Children’s consignment store about two blocks away.
“They just kind of all came in at once and the kids started picking up things on the table, grabbing stuff from outside, walking around with it,” Alyssa Kaliszewski, co-owner of the vintage clothing store Doll Parts Collective told KIRO 7. “They all were sort of barraging me with questions at the same time.”
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Minutes later, the same group entered the Little Bird’s consignment.
“Really loud and boisterous – they all spread out and kids started pulling stuff off the shelf and taking packages apart and the women were asking those questions and kind of trying to distract my other employee and I and as we’re helping other customers,” Manager Kiki Elbel told KIRO 7. “It felt like it was definitely organized chaos.”
The incident was caught on surveillance video and now nearby businesses are being ever vigilant and checking surveillance to make sure they haven’t been hit.
“It’s upsetting, obviously, and our first thought is that if they haven’t hit us already, they will, being a similar business to the ones that got hit,” Curious Kid Stuff worker Lauren Trujillo said.
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Retail theft is certainly nothing new, and organized retail theft is even worse, but business owners KIRO Newsradio talked to said involving children is unthinkable.
“It’s the parents’ responsibility to show their kids how to live the right way and it’s really upsetting they would use them in that way,” one business owner said.
Anyone with information should call 911 or Crimestoppers at 800-222-TIPS. If you call Crimestoppers, you can remain anonymous.
James Lynch is a reporter at KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of James’ stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.
