Police seek one-armed man and other suspects in rash of expensive eye frame thefts in Summit County, OH  Police are on the lookout for a one-armed man who is a suspect in a rash of recent expensive eye frame thefts in Summit County. Similar crimes have been reported this month at vision stores in Copley Township, Bath Township and Fairlawn. Investigators said some of the crooks typically distract store workers while others stuff high-end frames such as Ray Ban, Gucci or Coach in their purses or coats. In the thefts in Bath Township and Copley Township, witnesses told officers one of the suspects was distinctive because he has only one arm. "He's easily identified that way. It would help when you're looking for a suspect to see that he has one arm and that's what we said happened here. A man with one arm was here," said Cindy McLeod, manager at Eye and Vision on Ghent Road. McLeod said that suspect and another male scheduled fake appointments with a worker while a female suspect stole two eye frames. The suspect, who does not have a left arm, was also caught on camera during a theft at The Eye Site on Cleveland Massillon Road. Copley police identified him as Willie Lowery, 55, of Akron, and have issued an arrest warrant for him. Arrest warrants for Helen Smith, 53, of Akron, and Kisha Smoot, 35, of Akron, have also been issued in connection with the theft from The Eye Site. Workers at the store said about 30 frames were stolen over two days, costing the business between $3,000 and $4,000. newsnet5.com

Several taken into custody at Target in Madison, WI connected to ORC theft team  Several people were taken into custody Tuesday afternoon, and are believed to be part of a retail theft team, Madison police said. Just after 3 p.m., Madison police officers were sent to the Target at 4301 Lien Road for a report of a retail theft, officials said. During the investigation, a vehicle associated with the incident was found nearby, according to a release. Officers stopped the vehicle and took several people into custody. Harry J. Hale, 21, of Madison, Chad R. Seltzner, 21, of Sun Prairie, Kristi M. Wolter, 20, of Madison, Deja L. C. Montgomery, 20, of Madison and Myra L. Pettibone, 29, of Sun Prairie were arrested on tentative charges of retail theft or party to a crime of retail theft. Madison police said some of the suspects indicated they work as a retail theft team, and that they have been involved in repeated criminal acts targeting different retail stores. According to the release, the suspects said they generally shoplift DVDs and video games and then resell them for drug money, including money to buy heroin. channel3000.com




Pueblo, CO Police seeking suspect in the theft of $3,500 in eyeglass frames  Police are seeking the public's help in identifying a woman who reportedly stole thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from a Pueblo eye clinic last week. Police said on Friday around 2:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to the Southern Colorado Eye Clinic, 1620 Fortino Blvd., on a report of a theft from the business. Officers learned a female entered the business and stole 10 to 15 sets of eyeglass frames valued at an estimated $3,500 altogether. chieftain.com



Man arrested for theft of 38 T- Shirts from the Gap on NYC's Upper Westside
A man was arrested for trying to swipe 38 T-shirts from a Gap store near Lincoln Center earlier this month, police said. The thief, 44, whose name police did not release, was seen by employees stuffing the shirts into his jacket and leaving the store at 1988 Broadway without paying on March 11 at about 10 p.m., police said. An employee then called police and the man was arrested near the store shortly after, police said. The T-shirts were valued at $1,138. dnainfo.com

Victoria's Secret hit by 4 women for $1,200 in merchandise at the Greenwood Mall, Bowling Green, KY  An employee of Victoria's Secret reported Monday that four women stole $1,200 worth of panties from the store in Greenwood Mall, according to city police records. One of the women had long, grey dreadlocks. The employee said the thieves grabbed four Victoria's Secret bags from the wall, removed the merchandise off display tables, stuffed the panties inside the bags and left, records show. The store alarm sounded when the women left. bgdailynews.com