FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. — Police are searching for suspected shoplifters they said are taking high-end sunglasses from local stores.
Officers say they have stolen from the Lenscrafters store in Fayetteville twice lately.
They said the couple, seen in a surveillance video from the store, stole sunglasses ranging in value from $150 up to $300. They include luxury brands like Tiffany and Co. and Ray Bans.
A man and a woman and a man and a pregnant, woman, with a 5-year-old child, got away with more than $7,000 in high-end shades.
"Somebody sees somebody with a child, and they automatically think they're okay. They're not going to steal from me," Fayetteville Police Detective Mike Whitlow said.
Detectives said the couple sent the small boy up to the counter to distract the clerk while the man helped himself to the ray bans.
"And you can see his pockets starting to bulge out a little bit right there."
Police said the man stuffed 23 pairs of sunglasses in his pockets. They said the couples that police call the “California crew, traveled all the way from the west coast to commit the crimes.
Police said the same couple hit a Lenscrafters in Fayetteville, Dunwoody, and Chicago.
"Oh, there's no doubt. They're the same people. Same tactics, and obviously the same people from the video,” Whitlow said.