LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (WPVI) – Four women have been arrested after allegedly stealing more than $10,000 worth of merchandise from a Lululemon store in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, on Tuesday. The crime is the latest in a series of brazen thefts targeting the retailer.
According to Lower Merion police, the theft occurred at around 11:20 a.m. at the Lululemon store in Suburban Square, a popular shopping center in Ardmore. Surveillance footage shows the suspects entering the store, filling their arms with clothing, and fleeing the scene.
One of the women was seen dropping an item as she hurried out of the store. Another clip captured an employee stepping aside as a suspect exited with the stolen merchandise.
“I was shocked,” said Susanna Hauser, a witness to the crime. “You always think you’re safe here on the Main Line, but we’ve become a very soft target.”
Remarkably, Lower Merion police had an officer already en route to the store to handle a previous theft report. The officer encountered the suspects as they emerged from the store with clothing in hand, still on hangers and without bags.
Captain Gene Pasternak of Lower Merion Police said, “He saw four women. They came out of the store. They had clothing in their arms, no bags, hangers still attached.”
The suspects were apprehended shortly after the crime. Authorities identified them as 18-year-old Jahide Robinson, 32-year-old Amber Robinson, 24-year-old Ayanna Robinson, and 21-year-old Aainyae Robinson. All four face charges of retail theft, and police suspect they may be connected to other similar incidents in the area.
The stolen goods, valued at $10,350, were taken from the high-end retailer, which has recently been the target of several thefts in the region. This particular crime occurred amid a series of similar incidents, with police noting that some criminals have stolen items while officers were inside the store.
“We’ve had officers in there taking a report when people will come in and start stealing while the officer is on video, inside of the store,” said Captain Pasternak.
In addition to the Lower Merion theft, an Action News viewer in Upper Dublin shared photos of a robbery at the Lululemon on Welsh Road earlier this week, where thousands of dollars worth of items were stolen. Philadelphia police also reported multiple thefts from the Lululemon store in Rittenhouse Square last Thursday, which led to the arrest of 28-year-old Alexis Salmon and 29-year-old Marquise Baker.
Lululemon thefts have escalated, with a deadly incident occurring last month in Delaware County after a high-speed police chase followed a reported retail theft in Concord Township. The chase ended in a fatal crash involving three adults and a pregnant teen.
Lower Merion police are now looking into whether the four women arrested in Suburban Square are involved in other similar thefts. Authorities also note that businesses must do more to prevent such crimes.
“Sometimes, retail establishments don’t want to be involved. They don’t want to assist in prosecution. If that becomes known to the public, then people are more apt to go steal from the establishment,” said Captain Pasternak.
Despite this, law enforcement continues to investigate and is working to curb retail theft across the region.
