'They know exactly what they're going after': Brazen theft at luxury retailer Moncler in Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A video that's been seen more than 300,000 times shows a woman leaving a high-end retailer with an arm full of clothes and getting away in a waiting car.
CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reported Thursday night from Oak Street, where police are still looking for the woman caught on video. That woman is seen on the sidewalk, then, she starts running onto to Oak Street with her arms full of merchandise.
A woman runs with what appears to be at least two coats in her arms from luxury retailer Moncler, 59 E. Oak St. A police officer tries to stop her after seeing she left the store without paying for the merchandise. He reaches out for the woman, but she gets away.
That's when a red Nissan pulls up and stops. The woman runs around the front of the car, goes to the rear passenger door and gets in. The driver tries to escape as the woman's foot is dragged on the ground.
It happened at 2:45 Wednesday afternoon. Chicago police said two men also got into a waiting red sedan after taking merchandise from a store here on Oak Street.
"Organized retail crime continues unabated. It's certainly been a bit more, a bit less aggressive and violent lately, but it's still continuing."
Rob Karr is the president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.
"They organize everything and coordinate their attack essentially on the retail store and they know exactly what they're going after. They know how they're going to get it, remove it and get away."
Moncler sells coats, starting at around $800 and going up to about $3,000 each.
On Thursday afternoon on Oak Street, CBS 2 saw police and private security in cars and on bikes. Karr said the Illinois Retail Merchant Association has joined efforts with lawmakers to amend Illinois criminal codes to combat organized retail crime.
"It goes after the organizer, it goes after online fencing which has become an increasingly popular way of monetizing stolen goods," Karr said.
He added the association, the Illinois Attorney General and retailers are joining forces to create a law enforcement only website. It will have images and information about all of the organized retail crimes in Illinois, with the goal of stopping these organized rings.
CBS 2 reached out to Moncler for comment and have not heard back.
