Cops: $112K in handbags stolen from King of Prussia Mall
Upper Merion police say they are looking for five suspects who stole $112,000 in purses on three occasions at the King of Prussia Mall.
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Five people are being sought in a series of designer-label shoplifting sprees at the King of Prussia Mall that resulted in a loss of handbags with a collective price tag of about $112,000, according to Upper Merion police.
The crimes are thought to be related, authorities said, adding that a suspect threatened a store employee with violence during one of the thefts. Township police did not specify the date of the threat, but said the suspects stole handbags from several stores on Dec. 13, April 4, and April 24. The handbags were priced from $1,000 to $2,500, with some costing more.
Surveillance footage provided by police shows they are looking for four men and a woman.
Upper Merion Detective Sgt. Patrick Krouse said police would not release the names of the stores involved "out of respect and courtesy to them," and had no other information to provide. Krouse said the suspects struck between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. He did not specify the exact number of purses the suspects stole from the stores or how the crimes were committed. Management at the mall referred all queries to the Upper Merion police.
Krouse said the suspects did not break any display cases or do smash-and-grabs.
Surveillance images provided by police show three cars the suspects allegedly used to escape, according to police. Those cars appear to be a newer-model gray or silver Chevrolet Camaro, a dark gray Chevrolet Malibu, with a possible model year from the last five years, and a white older-model Buick.
Some of the entrances and exits of the King of Prussia Mall are within the mall's upscale department stores: Bloomingdale's, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom. Not too far outside Neiman Marcus in particular, the mall is clustered with luxury shops, such as Saint-Laurent, Philipp Plein, Hugo Boss, Hermés, Louis Vuitton, and Jimmy Choo. Within Neiman Marcus, a purse prominently displayed for sale Friday retailed for more than $4,000.
Anyone with information about the crimes can call Upper Merion police at 610-265-3232, or the department's anonymous tip line at 484-636-3888.