Thrift shop thief caught on camera stealing hundreds in merchandise
Thrift shop thief caught on camera
The Austin Police Department is investigating a shoplifting incident at a North Austin thrift shop after surveillance footage captured a woman stealing hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise. FOX 7 Austin's Katie Pratt has the story.
AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Police Department is investigating a shoplifting incident at a North Austin thrift shop after surveillance footage captured a woman stealing hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise.
The backstory:
The theft occurred at Heartening, a local community-focused thrift store that operates both a free clothing rack and a $3 warehouse area alongside a premium section. According to store founder Kelley Rytlewski, higher-end sales from the premium room fund the shop's operating costs and monthly rent.
Surveillance video showed the suspect bypassing the discount and free clothing racks before browsing the premium section.
"She had gone around and stuffed her purse full of items, and at the last minute grabbed a pile of the most expensive dresses in our store and ran out the door," Rytlewski said.
The suspect left with eight garments and two pairs of shoes. Rytlewski estimates the items were priced at over $300 in-store, with a potential online resale value exceeding $1,200.
Staff initially assumed the woman was a paying customer as she walked out with hangers in hand. However, business owners nearby quickly noticed suspicious activity.
Clint Moore, owner of Spruce Upholstery, located two doors down, saw the woman rummaging near his store's dumpster.
"I thought the lady was looking for scraps of fabric and I would have offered her any kind of scraps of what we were looking for," Moore said.
After the woman left, Moore checked the trash and discovered clothes hangers clearly labeled "Heartening." He immediately went to alert Rytlewski, but the suspect had already fled the scene.
"She's whipped out with all of the coat hangers on the clothing, making a hasty exit and yeah, just getting rid of them in our dumpster," Moore said. "But you know, we all kind of look out for each other around here."
The incident was particularly disheartening for the business owners because Heartening maintains a free stand with clothes and shoes outside its doors. The shop gives away between 500 and 1,000 items daily to anyone in need as part of its community mission and zero-waste initiative.
"She passed it on her way in and she passed it on her way out, and we refill that constantly," Rytlewski said. "If she needed clothing, she would have received it that day."
"I can't understand why somebody would do that when, if you're in need of clothing, the Heartening will provide for you," Moore added.
What's next:
A formal report has been filed with the Austin Police Department.
Anyone with information regarding the identity of the suspect or the incident is urged to contact local authorities.
The Source: Information in this report comes from reporting/interviews by FOX 7 Austin's Katie Pratt