Romanian Shoplifting Ring Busted: How $5,000 in Lululemon Merchandise Was Hidden in Secret Skirt Compartment
In an elaborate retail theft operation that was caught on police body cameras, four suspected shoplifters were arrested outside a Lululemon store in Lake Forest, Illinois, after allegedly stealing nearly $5,000 worth of merchandise. The footage reveals how the suspects used specialized equipment and clothing modifications to conceal stolen items, highlighting the sophisticated methods employed by organized retail theft rings.
The Initial Confrontation
The incident began around 3:00 PM when officers responded to a call from Lululemon staff regarding suspicious activity in their store. Upon arrival, police encountered four individuals who appeared to be working as a team. The suspects, later identified as 26-year-old Rebecca Velu, 32-year-old Karrina Duna, 26-year-old Stefan Florell, and 18-year-old Romera Velu, were detained outside the store.
Initial communication proved challenging as the suspects claimed to speak limited English, primarily communicating in Spanish and Romanian. This language barrier created immediate difficulties for the responding officers who attempted to gather basic information.
“What’s going on? Do you speak any English?” an officer can be heard asking in the footage, receiving minimal responses from the suspects. The language barrier appeared to be part of a deliberate strategy to delay and complicate the investigation.
A Hidden Compartment Discovered
As officers continued their investigation, they made a startling discovery. One of the female suspects was wearing a specially modified skirt with a concealed zippered compartment designed to hide stolen merchandise. This wasn’t merely stuffing items under clothing – it was a carefully engineered garment specifically created for shoplifting purposes.
“She does have it on her,” one officer can be heard stating in the video as they discovered the hidden compartment.
When officers searched this hidden pocket, they uncovered multiple Lululemon items that had allegedly been taken from the store. The zippered compartment was large enough to conceal thousands of dollars worth of clothing without creating an obvious bulge that might attract attention from store employees or security personnel.
“Hold her purse from her,” an officer instructs in the footage while investigating the concealed compartment. The body camera footage clearly shows officers removing multiple items from the hidden storage area in the woman’s skirt.
Professional Shoplifting Equipment
The group’s professional approach to retail theft became even more evident when officers searched the suspects’ belongings. In Karina Duna’s purse, police discovered what appeared to be a security tag removal device – a specialized tool used to detach anti-theft tags from merchandise without damaging the items or triggering alarms.
“What is this?” an officer asks in the footage, examining the device.
“That’s a locking… that’s to get a device off,” another officer responds, recognizing the tool’s purpose.
This discovery earned Duna an additional charge of possession of a theft detection device remover, elevating the case from simple shoplifting to a more organized criminal operation. The presence of such a device suggests premeditation and regular engagement in retail theft activities.
A Coordinated Distraction Technique
According to witness statements provided to police, the group allegedly worked together using coordinated distraction techniques to facilitate their theft. While some group members engaged with store employees to divert their attention, others would select and conceal merchandise.
This division of labor – with some members serving as distractions while others gathered merchandise – is a classic technique used by organized retail theft rings. By spreading out through the store and creating multiple points of interest for employees to monitor, they increased their chances of successfully concealing items without detection.
The group’s coordination extended beyond the store as well, with officers noting that they arrived together and appeared to be working as a unit. This level of organization suggests that this wasn’t a spontaneous crime of opportunity but rather a planned operation.
Repeat Offenders Target the Same Store
Perhaps most notably, police indicated that this wasn’t the first time the Lake Forest Lululemon store had been targeted by shoplifters in recent days. Just two days prior, another incident occurred at the same location where two suspects were caught allegedly attempting to steal approximately $1,500 worth of merchandise.
“Didn’t you charge someone just Saturday with being—” one officer can be heard asking another, referencing the previous theft attempt at the store.
“Lululemon will give us some bags… I think they’re all taking a ride… didn’t we just get charges with poster’s case where both of them stole, they both walked out stuff and they all came in together,” another officer responds, connecting the incidents.
This pattern of targeting the same retailer multiple times within a short period suggests a deliberate focus on Lululemon, possibly due to the high resale value of their athletic apparel and accessories. High-end athletic wear brands like Lululemon are frequently targeted by organized retail theft groups because their merchandise can be easily resold online or through other channels at significant profits.
Communication Challenges During Processing
Throughout the encounter, officers struggled with the language barrier, which complicated the booking process. The suspects primarily communicated in Romanian, with some Spanish also mentioned, requiring officers to attempt to find translation assistance.
“Romanian… we have a Romanian,” an officer can be heard saying while trying to coordinate translation services.
The communication difficulties extended to basic identification procedures, with officers struggling to obtain and spell names correctly. “I can’t get name either… spell your last name,” an officer requests, followed by confusion over the spelling.
“The letters are different,” another officer notes, highlighting the challenges of transcribing Romanian names with different alphabetic characters.
This language barrier may have been exploited intentionally to complicate the investigation and potentially make prosecution more difficult – a tactic sometimes employed by organized retail theft groups operating across different regions or countries.
Evidence Collection and Processing
The officers methodically collected evidence at the scene, including photographing the stolen merchandise and the modified clothing used to conceal it. They placed the suspects’ phones in airplane mode to prevent remote wiping of potentially incriminating data or communication with accomplices not present at the scene.
“You might want to pull all if we’re detaining all of them… and see if we want to grab all their phones and put them all on airplane mode,” one officer suggests in the footage.
The total value of the merchandise recovered from the group was estimated at nearly $5,000, a significant haul that elevated the potential charges beyond simple misdemeanor shoplifting to more serious felony retail theft in many jurisdictions.
Organized Retail Theft: A Growing Problem
This incident highlights the growing problem of organized retail theft across the United States. Unlike opportunistic shoplifting, organized retail theft involves coordinated groups who plan their operations, use specialized equipment, and often target specific high-value retailers.
The National Retail Federation estimates that organized retail crime costs retailers approximately $45 billion in losses annually. The sophistication demonstrated in this case – with modified clothing, security tag removers, and coordinated distraction techniques – exemplifies why these groups are so effective and difficult for retailers to combat.
Luxury athletic wear brands like Lululemon, where individual items can retail for $100 or more, are particularly attractive targets. The compact nature of the merchandise makes it easy to conceal, while the high demand and brand recognition ensure a ready market for reselling stolen goods.
Legal Consequences and Charges
All four suspects were taken to jail and booked on retail theft charges. Karina Duna received an additional charge for possession of the security tag removal device, which in many jurisdictions constitutes a separate offense related to possessing tools specifically designed for criminal activity.
“The four suspects were taken to jail and booked for retail theft. Karina was additionally charged with possession of a theft detection device remover,” the police report concluded.
Penalties for organized retail theft vary by jurisdiction but can include significant jail time, particularly when the value of stolen merchandise exceeds certain thresholds or when suspects have prior offenses. The presence of specialized theft tools often serves as an aggravating factor in sentencing.
Retailers’ Growing Response to Organized Theft
Incidents like this have prompted retailers including Lululemon to invest heavily in security measures to combat organized retail theft. These measures include:
- Enhanced surveillance systems with facial recognition capabilities
- RFID tags and advanced security devices on merchandise
- Increased security personnel, including plainclothes loss prevention officers
- Staff training to recognize distraction techniques and suspicious behavior
- Coordination with law enforcement and retail crime task forces
- Database sharing between retailers to track patterns and recognize repeat offenders
Despite these efforts, organized retail theft remains a persistent challenge for the retail industry. The sophistication demonstrated by groups like the one in this incident – with specialized equipment, coordinated tactics, and methods to complicate identification – illustrates why the problem continues to grow.
The Broader Impact on Consumers and Communities
The financial impact of organized retail theft extends beyond the retailers themselves. These losses are ultimately passed on to consumers through higher prices, as stores attempt to recoup their losses from theft. Some retailers have been forced to close locations in areas with high rates of organized retail crime, reducing access to shopping options in affected communities.
Additionally, organized retail theft often funds other criminal enterprises, with stolen merchandise serving as a form of currency in underground economies. The profits from reselling stolen goods have been linked to drug trafficking, human trafficking, and other serious criminal activities.
Prevention and Community Awareness
Law enforcement agencies increasingly recognize the need for specialized approaches to combat organized retail theft. Many jurisdictions have created dedicated task forces that focus specifically on these crimes, working collaboratively with retailers to identify patterns and target repeat offenders.
Consumer awareness also plays a role in disrupting the market for stolen goods. By being cautious about purchasing items at suspiciously low prices from unauthorized sellers, consumers can help reduce the profitability of retail theft operations.
The Lake Forest Lululemon shoplifting case provides a revealing glimpse into the methods employed by organized retail theft rings. From specially modified clothing with hidden compartments to security tag removal tools and coordinated distraction techniques, these groups employ sophisticated tactics that go far beyond opportunistic shoplifting.
As retailers and law enforcement continue to develop countermeasures, these criminal enterprises adapt their methods accordingly, creating an ongoing challenge for the retail industry. The nearly $5,000 worth of merchandise recovered in this single incident represents just a small fraction of the billions lost annually to organized retail crime across the United States.
For consumers, the case serves as a reminder of the hidden costs associated with retail theft and the importance of supporting legitimate retail channels. For retailers, it underscores the need for continued vigilance and investment in security measures to protect merchandise and ultimately keep prices lower for law-abiding customers.
