Cops Bust Five Women For String of Thefts at Detroit Lululemon Stores

Police in Detroit have arrested five women they believe to be responsible for a series of thefts at Lululemon stores throughout the area.

What is Lululemon?

Lululemon is an athleticwear company that began selling yoga pants and yoga wear in 1998. It has since expanded to selling many types of athleticwear for women and men, operating more than 500 brick-and-mortar stores in the US. The brand operates about a dozen stores in Michigan, including locations in Metro Detroit, Birch Run, and Grand Rapids.

A String of Thefts at Lululemon Stores

the Michigan State Police Fraud Investigation Section and the Michigan Department of Attorney General Investigators recently received information about a suspected crime ring that had been stealing merchandise from multiple Lululemon locations in the Detroit area.

Investigators tell Mlive that approximately $125,000 worth of merchandise has been stolen from the stores in recent months.

Five Women Caught Red-Handed

After receiving the tip, investigators set up surveillance at a Lululemon store on Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit. Officers observed the five women suspected of the previous robberies entering the store and a short time later observed the women leaving the store with a large quantity of clothing.

The women were arrested and police say they were carrying approximately $13,000 worth of stolen merchandise out of the store.

Michigan State Police First Lieutenant Mike Shaw tells Mlive, "While many may think retail fraud as a ‘lower level’ crime, these large-scale retail thefts put both the public and store employees in danger as well as increasing the price at the register for consumers."