2 day shoplifting blitz catches thieves in the act

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Several people are finding themselves on the wrong side of the law as Louisville Metro Police and St. Matthews Police continued their third annual shoplifting blitz.

Police are working with some 20 retailers to catch thieves in the act. The two day event is good news for other shoppers, because crime prevention officers say the losses to the stores have to be made up somewhere, in ways like higher prices.

WAVE 3 News cameras were there Thursday as two days of shoplifting arrests began.

From the malls, to Meijer and Kroger stores, to Kohls -- loss prevention officers keep their eyes on shoppers inside, messaging LMPD and SMPD plainclothes and uniformed officers through an app to let them know to come to a theft in progress.

“Each day we had roughly 28 LMPD officers and detectives assigned, and I think a dozen or so St. Matthews officers,” LMPD 8th Division Major Jamey Schwab said.

From Oxmoor to Springhurst, Middletown Commons and beyond, alleged thieves are getting caught in the act. On day one of two, they made three felony arrests, and nine misdemeanor arrests.

“Sometimes we’re approached and we’re asked why are we focusing so much energy on something like shoplifting," Schwab said. "But shoplifting goes hand and hand with drug use, drug sales, and that also leads eventually to violence.”

Thursday police also served five warrants.

“One subject had some illegal narcotics and when I say a lot of paraphernalia -- probably 20 needles," St. Matthews Assistant Police Chief Major Tony Cobaugh said.

Thursday, they seized a gram of meth and some heroin and recovered $4,000 in stolen property. Thieves' tried and true methods were foiled.

“Some like to conceal it on their person, some like to conceal it on their kids and strollers and some just grab it and run for the doors,” Terry Young, Organized Retail Crime Manager for Kroger, said.

Police recovered everything from toys to electronics.

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