3 Arrested For Shoplifting At Boca Town Center After Being Recognized By A Camera

BOCA RATON, FL – Boca Post (BocaPost.com) — Three teenagers were arrested for shoplifting at Boca Town Center Mall after the camera system recognized one of the teens from a previous shoplifting incident.

Macy’s in the Boca Town Center at Boca Raton is a busy store and the loss prevention personnel at that location are especially busy. That’s because the primary responsibility of a loss prevention agent is to detect and apprehend shoplifters. That is exactly what they did on Monday, June 27th, 2022.

After the computer system alerted the loss prevention personnel, four teenagers were monitored and 3 of them were suspected of shoplifting. The group stole approximately $250 worth of merchandise from the store before getting caught.

According to a police report submitted by the Boca Raton Police Department, an officer was dispatched to Macy’s at the Boca Town Center in reference to a shoplifter in custody. The responding officer met with loss prevention personnel who provided the officer with a summary of what was observed.

A text from the official police report can be found here:

The Loss Prevention agent stated that he was monitoring the camera system when the computer alerted him to a known shoplifter entering the store’s east entrance. The agent explained that Macy’s uses a facial recognition system to alert loss prevention employees of previously known shoplifters entering the store from previous incidents at any Macy’s location.

The agent began surveilling a group of four (4) juvenile males as they walked around the store’s first level (men’s clothing and fragrance section). Via the camera system, The agent observed the above four males take Macy’s plastic bags and continue walking around the store. The agent then witnessed one of the juveniles select two (2) men’s underwear and a Versace cologne set (Total value: $158.53) and place the items inside of the plastic bag. The juvenile is then seen handing the bag to another male who then exited the store through the east entrance.

The agent stated that constant visual surveillance was maintained after he witnessed the selection and concealment of merchandise until the subject was apprehended outside of the store without attempting payment. It should be noted that all four (4) males entered the store with nothing in their hands. The agent later explained that the group previously entered the store where he observed a male select three (3) pairs of men’s underwear (Total value: $94.43) and place the items inside a plastic Macy’s bag from the men’s clothing selection and leave Macy’s through the east entrance and possibly place the items inside of the vehicle they arrived in, a black 2022 Hyundai Tuscan bearing Florida tag 79BUZA parked on the first floor of the Macy’s parking garage.

I then spoke with the subjects inside Macy’s loss prevention office. I read the subject his Miranda warnings from the pre~printed card which he stated he understood. the subject stated that he is from Tampa and is visiting Boca Raton with his above friends after they all recently graduated high school and provided me with their names. the subject and his friends arrived at the Town Center Mall at approximately 1445 hours and walked through Macy’s to go to Chick Fil A. After eating, they returned to Macy’s and began walking around. While inside Macy’s, The juvenile handed the subject with a plastic Macy’s shopping bag and told him to take it to their vehicle in the parking lot which belongs to one of the boys. The subject then admitted to leaving the store, holding the bag of merchandise, without attempting payment. the subject provided me with one of the boys phone numbers and he was contacted to return to Macy’s loss prevention

Another subject (subject 2) arrived shortly after and I began to ask him if he would be willing to give consent for his vehicle to be searched for additional stolen items. Subject 2 then stated to me that the items he took were in the backseat of his vehicle. At the time of this statement, Subject 2 was not suspected of any crime and after this statement was made, I read him his Miranda warnings from a pre-printed card which he stated he understood. Post Miranda, Subject 2 admitted to taking underwear from Macy’s and that the items were in the backseat of his vehicle. Subject 2 provided me with consent to search his vehicle and signed a BRPD Consent to the Search form. I then responded to Macy’s parking garage and located Subject 2’s vehicle. With the keys provided to me by Subject 2, I entered his vehicle and located a plastic Macy’s bag on the rear seat which contained three (3) packages of men’s underwear. These items were recovered and returned to Macy’s.

I then contacted the juvenile via Subject 2’s cellphone and asked him to return to Macy’s loss prevention. He agreed to do so and he came to Macy’s loss prevention office. Upon his arrival, I learned that he was 17 years old and I read him the juvenile Miranda warnings from a pre-printed card which he stated he understood. I explained to the juvenile that the entire incident was captured on Macy’s surveillance cameras. Post Miranda, the juvenile admitted to selecting the items that were recovered from Subject 1 and concealing them inside a plastic Macy’s bag which he then gave to Subject 1. The juvenile admitted that he did not have any intention of paying for the items and gave instruction to Subject 1 to take the bag to Subject 2’s vehicle.

Based upon the above investigation including CCTV footage, sworn witness statement, and the suspect’s own admission, probable cause was established to arrest all 3 subjects on one count of Retail Theft pursuant to FSS 812.015(1). I later contacted the juvenile suspect’s father via telephone and he responded to the scene. After notifying him of the incident, the juvenile was released into his custody and the arrest paperwork was forwarded to the BRPD Youth Crimes Specialist. Because Subject 1 and Subject 2 have no local address or ties to the area, they were placed under arrest and transported to BRPD for processing. After processing, Subject 1 and Subject 2 were transported to the Palm Beach County Jail. Sales receipts documenting the value of the stolen items along with video footage of the theft occurring were placed into BRPD Evidence. No further involvement.