On April 8, Grapevine Police recovered approximately $17,500 in merchandise stolen from retailers inside Grapevine Mills mall.
Officers responded to a call from a loss prevention officer who was at the mall shopping with his wife, and noticed suspicious behavior inside one of the stores. He told police a goup of people was removing clothing from hangers, putting them into large shopping bags, then leaving the store without paying for the items. The man followed one of the women to an SUV, where he watched her empty the bags’ contents into the vehicle, then walk back into the mall with the empty bags.
Ofc. Hale coordinated the scene with Ofc. Gutierrez, Ofc. Buntyn, and Sgt. Meador. Police activated their emergency lights when they spotted the group return to the SUV and pile in more merchandise. Four people took off running. Officers were able to capture three of them, including a man who was carrying a tool used to remove alarm sensors on clothing. One man and two women from the Brownsville area now face charges in connection to the case.
In all, more than 600 items from five different retailers were found inside the SUV, for a total value of over $17,500. Ofc. Hale did a great job organizing and counting the merchandise, and all officers involved played a key role in arresting suspects.