Youths arrested for string of recent Lululemon thefts

GROSSE POINTE CITY — Multiple arrests have been made lately, but several suspects remained at large at press time in a series of recent thefts of thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise from the Lululemon store in The Village.

On July 15, police said three male juvenile suspects turned themselves in at the City Public Safety Department in conjunction with the Lululemon thefts in Grosse Pointe City June 24 and 29. The same day, another male juvenile suspect was arrested after he is said by police to have been fleeing from the Lululemon store at around 1:45 p.m. carrying three pairs of pants he didn’t pay for. Police said another male juvenile suspect was arrested July 18. Police said he’s also a suspect in the Lululemon thefts June 24 and 29.

However, male and female suspects wanted for Lululemon thefts July 8, 12 and 14 were still at large.

“We didn’t get all of them,” City Detective Michael Narduzzi said. “There’s multiple crews working right now.”

He said charges have been submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for the suspects who’ve been arrested thus far.

Narduzzi said these suspects aren’t connected to the suspects arrested last year in connection with a rash of thefts at Lululemon and Ulta Beauty locations throughout metro Detroit from December 2022 to November 2023. Narduzzi played a pivotal role in those arrests, which involved a Michigan Department of Attorney General task force and multiple state and local police agencies.

Narduzzi said the crew arrested last year used a fence — a person who buys stolen goods to sell — and the merchandise was sold online. With the latest thefts, he said some of the stolen items were given away by the suspects, some kept for personal use and some sold, so police were only able to recover certain items.

“They’re not as sophisticated at selling it and turning a profit,” Narduzzi said of the crew members arrested in July.

Making things more complicated for police is what Narduzzi said is an apparent corporate policy that bars Lululemon employees from calling 911 to report a theft in progress. He said employees told police that security cameras at the stores are monitored at a remote location, and the people watching those cameras are supposed to call police. Unfortunately, by the time they do call, Narduzzi said, the suspects are long gone.

“If (the employees at the store) called us, we’d catch them,” Narduzzi said of the suspects. “It’s a terrible policy. They’re creating anxiety, resentment and anger on the part of the employees.”

At press time, no one from Lululemon could be reached for comment.

Passersby aren’t restricted by store policy, and that’s how police did identify some suspects after they fled the scene in one recent incident. Narduzzi said a witness saw a group of young people race out of the store with their hands full of clothes as they jumped into an awaiting vehicle.

“This very astute, very sharp pedestrian took pictures of the car and the license plate on her phone, so we’re very grateful to her,” Narduzzi said. He said the witness then called 911.

Narduzzi urged members of the public to watch for any suspicious behavior and report it immediately. Witnesses can remain anonymous. Narduzzi said the suspects in these cases, at least so far, haven’t been armed, and they’ve all gotten into vehicles that were waiting for them. He said officers in the City are working with their counterparts in Detroit and other communities as they try to bring a halt to these crimes.

Perhaps because of the policy about calling police, Lululemon stores have become popular targets for criminals. Nationwide media reports show that similar crimes are widespread across metro Detroit and the country. In recent months alone, incidents have been reported at locations in Los Angeles; Tacoma, Washington; the Philadelphia area; Washington, D.C.; and Chicago, just to name a few. These reports show that crooks are making off with thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise. Lululemon makes high-end athletic and leisure apparel and accessories for men and women.

Because this is an ongoing investigation, Narduzzi said he couldn’t reveal whether the current spate of Lululemon suspects was also targeting other specific retailers.

To report a crime in progress, call 911. Anyone with more information or tips about these incidents can also call the City Public Safety Department at (313) 886-3200.