Missouri police are on the hunt for 2 teenage ladies after one in every of them was caught on digital camera brutally assaulting a Walgreens worker who had tried to cease them from shoplifting.
The horrific incident occurred on August 2 within the city of Independence, about 10 miles east of Kansas City.
“A company employee was attacked when they tried to intervene in a shoplifting operation,” the Independence Police mentioned in a press release.
The photos, taken by a witness in a automotive, present how a lady in a white shirt and a purple bag throws the worker to the bottom exterior the shop.
The woman punches the worker, who is claimed to be in his sixties, as she lies on the ground.
A teenage woman assaults a Walgreens worker exterior a retailer in Independence, Missouri
Police have launched footage of the suspects asking the general public for assist in figuring out them
Another teenage woman is seen screaming within the background because the assault unfolds.
Police mentioned the 2 teenagers had been within the retailer with a 3rd teen and an grownup earlier than the assault.
When the group walked into the shop, solely one of many teenagers was sporting sun shades.
However, once they walked out, one of many teenagers with out sun shades was sporting sun shades, based on police.
The worker reportedly informed the grownup girl who was with the teenagers to pay for the merchandise, however she refused.
The two teenage suspects then returned to the shop, with one in every of them grabbing a Sprite and spraying it within the worker’s face.
The worker informed police the teenagers attacked her after she blocked the Sprite.
The worker has since recovered and plans to file a report, Fox4 KC reported.
Police have launched footage of the suspects asking the general public for assist in figuring out them.
One of the ladies seems to be the suspect who assaulted the worker. The different seems to be the teenager yelling within the background.
Police spokesman Jack Taylor informed Fox4 KC the incident left him “shocked”.
The division remains to be investigating the incident.
Anyone with data is requested to contact Detective Winborn at 816-325-7330 or name the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
It comes after Walgreens’ chief monetary officer informed buyers throughout an earnings name earlier this yr that executives might have overestimated the impression of organized shoplifting.
Another teenage woman is seen screaming within the background because the assault unfolds
The woman punches the worker, who is claimed to be in his sixties, as she lies on the ground
The worker has since recovered and is contemplating submitting a report
“Maybe we cried too much last year,” mentioned James Kehoe.
Kehoe additionally mentioned the corporate “probably” mischaracterized how a lot theft occurred within the chain’s shops and will have overspent on placing safety measures in place.
Walgreens closed 5 shops in San Francisco in October 2021, citing organized shoplifting.
Shoplifting is on the heart of political debates about crime, particularly in city areas resembling San Francisco.
The National Retail Federation mentioned the scourge of shoplifting – which bought worse through the pandemic – will price the business almost $100 billion by 2022.
Recent movies of brazen shoplifters have gone viral on-line as residents grow to be more and more annoyed with rising crime.
Surveillance footage exhibits a gang of masked thugs driving procuring carts filled with high-value merchandise out of a New York Home Depot retailer.
Another clip confirmed shoplifters loading duffel baggage and backpacks with perfumes and cologne from a Ross retailer in Colorado.
A Ross Dress for Less supervisor has mentioned thieves assault her retailer in Colorado as much as 4 occasions a day.
Footage shot on the location exhibits plenty of thieves storming by means of the shop, filling baggage with objects earlier than casually leaving.
Store supervisor Ashley Finley informed CBS News, “It occurs rather a lot. I might say this type of incident occurs 4 occasions a day.