DEL.ICIO.US'It's a fashion statement, and they can sell it,' police say
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/07/08
It looked like shoplifting at first, just guys grabbing a few pairs of nice jeans and shirts before darting from a store. The crimes evolved from early 2007, though, to organized daytime thefts, after-hours smash-and-grabs and now armed robberies with customers and clerks nearby.
The culprits, dubbed the "blue jean bandits," have taken more than $1 million in designer clothes, shoes and accessories from store shelves to create an Atlanta retail theft epidemic that feeds a street-level need for high fashion.
 John Spink/jspink@ajc.com | ||
| Atlanta Police Officer Y.R. Scurlock picks up items outside a shattered front window after a smash-and-graf robbery at Kintaro, a boutique on North Highland Avenue in Atlanta. | ||
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Police say the bandits are probably three groups, about 36 people, plus a few copycats and helpers labeled with the same nickname.
The Atlanta Police Department's retail theft task force has more than 25 active cases, plus 50 more believed to be related.
Ginza, the latest boutique hit, was robbed on mid-June. The thieves are picky about product, but not location; they've hit wherever designer jeans are sold – Buckhead, Virginia-Highland, Little Five Points, Castleberry Hill, Decatur and Dawsonville, among others. Their haul ranges from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands.
"A felony is a felony. Perhaps, in their minds, it's safer than selling drugs on the streets or robbing a bank at gun point," says Atlanta police Sgt. Archie Ezell, who heads the retail theft task force. "The impact on the community is almost as bad as sticking a gun to the head and taking."
As Adrene Boutique in Castleberry Hill prepared to close on June 2, a male customer stopped in, hunting for brand names — Rock & Republic, True Religion, Laguna Beach, all priced between $170 and $350 per pair. He left without buying.
He returned with two more men, grabbed three racks of clothes near the door, hopped into a gold Pontiac and sped away.
The vehicle of choice lately is mini-vans. Before, several witnesses and videos saw Toyota Avalons, Jeep Cherokees, Ford Tauruses and myriad SUVs.
The clerk could barely speak when she called owner Adrene Ashford, who also owns Pieces of Adrene in East Atlanta. .
The store reopened as usual, with most of its stock missing. The clerk took a few weeks off. The police patrol the area regularly, and nearby businesses cast a watchful eye on the door.
"Being a new store, having hot merchandise, being a popular neighborhood — I knew they were watching, waiting for an opportunity," Ashford says.
A boutique's business plan has to make room for trendy items walking out the door, Ashford says. But it's rare to see thieves so organized, widespread and fashion-savvy.
"Who's to say they're not rubbing elbows with me at a party?" she says. "For men, it's all about having a good pair of jeans. If you have a pair of $350 jeans on, you're in a certain category."
The earliest cases police attribute to the bandits were Macy's and Marshall's, but tastes have gotten tonier. Polo and Sean John used to be their go-to brands. Now they head to boutiques and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th for Red Monkey Jeans and Citizens of Humanity tops.
"It's a fashion statement, and they can sell it," says C. Dawson, a manager at Urban Fusion, a Castleberry Hill boutique that was hit twice. "If they could steal Benz's, they'd steal Benz's."
Atlanta police say the groups have a gang-like mentality that's part greed, part Robin Hood. Descriptions of the groups usually mention an older man and several younger people in their teens or early 20s, often wearing unremarkable jeans, white T-shirts and hats or sunglasses. An older man seems to organize the groups, while younger people grab merchandise. At least one woman has been arrested, too.
They wear what they steal, and sell it to their friends and family members at reduced rates, police say. Police say large quantities of stolen merchandise leaves the metro area, but won't say where it's going or how it's getting there.
It seems like easy, quick money to use as income, or to use for drugs or guns, Ezell says.
The thieves usually have guns, police say, but they're gone so quickly, they've never needed them. The robberies are getting more violent, though: Days after hitting Adrene Boutique, one group hit Brazil Fine Italian Menswear on Peachtree Road and Kaleidoscope boutique in Decatur.
Workers in both stores were hit with pepper spray. At Brazil, one person was punched.
It was a response to stores adding nighttime security, police say — thieves' only options were to get the goods during the day. Daytime violence could escalate, as "the chance of confrontation is high," Ezell says.
Atlanta Police have made 16 arrests, and have two warrants out. They spend more time watching stores, especially those hit multiples times, and instruct owners on how to deter crime.
Wendy Jackson, owner of Signature 4 Men on Lenox Road, says the changes haven't helped enough. Bandits hit the day the police don't come by. Even after investments in security improvements, an old gray Chevy truck rammed through the window of her store to allow six men in dark hoodies to steal $50,000 of merchandise. Jackson hasn't restocked her shelves, her insurance company won't cover building damage and she'd like to get out of her lease or sell the store.
"It's only a matter of time before they come back," Jackson says. "You can only afford to bounce back so many times."
And despite the name, it has evolved to more than just jeans. It's one-of-a-kind rhinestone studded hoodies, $12,000 belts, designer shoes. It's any trend spotted on the red carpet or at clubs. The single biggest heist so far nabbed $145,000 from a Pearle Vision store on Lenox Road.
It's the economics of supply, demand, fashion and crime, says Ashford, from Adrene Boutique. She calls it greed.
"Hot shades, hot jeans, hot boy," Ashford says. "Everybody wants to be a rock star."
Matt Dempsey and Mike Maciag contributed to this report.
Macy's and Marshall's: The Lenox Mall Macy's was hit seven times. The Marshall's store on Piedmont Road was his six times, and a Marshall's on Peachtree Road was hit once. The very first case was in January 2007, but the task force began recognizing a trend later in the year.
How to deter crime: Customers might notice new gates, updated video systems, buzzers to let shoppers in, plus reinforced racks, hangers facing different directions and more staff members than usual.
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More on ajc.com
- IN SEARCH OF THE BLUE JEAN BANDITS (07/13/2008)
- Atlanta police looking for 2 men in slaying (09/29/2008)
- Woman killed in attempted robbery (09/27/2008)
- Downtown Wachovia bank robbed (09/17/2008)
- ATLANTA: City poised for dip in violent crimes (09/16/2008)
- Atlanta figures show violent crime down in '08 (09/15/2008)
- Violent crime increases in Fayette County (09/15/2008)
- Violent crime rises in Atlanta (09/15/2008)
- Third suspect charged in Roswell death (07/28/2008)
- 3rd arrest in Roswell's Azteca grocery killing (07/27/2008)
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Comments
By Reader
Jun 8, 2009 11:00 AM | Link to this
This reminds me of the sneaky shops in NYC. Anybody ever heard of those, how the Mobs and gangs would rob trucks before they would get to the stores and go and sell it in their stores.
By Terrell Harmon
Sep 10, 2008 2:26 PM | Link to this
All I can say is I am glad I don't live in the ATL anymore! It's going to hell in a handbasket. Good luck for those who stay, its sad it used to be great! Anyone who wears a pair of jeans for $350. I have a bridge I'd like to sell you named "Brklyn" Sad, Sad, Sad :(
By Joan C.
Sep 5, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this
The Robin Hood mentality? Give me a break! These 'sellouts' are the ones who are destroying every community in America and any one who defends them is a 'sellout' also. These thugs are black men who are damaged beyond repair(DBR) we call them. There is no one holding them back but the mental slavery that they can not seem to release or really want to. DBR men claim to hate the WM but want the material goods that their money can buy. He doesn't want real wealth he just wants to look like he is wealthy. Bring on the bling so he can floss, his ilk be it the BW who thinks like him have no real priorities in life because their self-esteem comes from outward appearances only. Itıs all superficial, empty inside, fake appearance outside.
Education is the key to a better life but the acting black crew (ABC) don't believe in an education. Mediocrity is their mantra. The WM has been deemed the enemy when all along the real enemy is themselves. There's a difference between Americans of African descent and the Acting Black Crew. The ABC believe in keeping it real while denouncing anything that they perceive as being of the enemy, the WM and they are failing miserably because of it. Those who have removed the shackles of mental slavery and who are living their lives the way God has intended are free from the ignorance that consumes so many who are afraid to live a rewarding life.
The ABC must be destroyed because they are destroying our future. Those self-appointed leaders of the ABC are using them to become wealthy, they don't have their best interest at hand and they are too blind to see it. The ABC is a crisis oriented people, has anyone seen how they become this monolithic group of people when their is some controversy when dealing with criminals who are playing the victim?
The Black Church keeps them in bondage also. Yeah I said it! The BW is nothing but an ATM to the Black Church. She constantly gives and receives nothing in return but a guilt feeling, to be used at whim. What are they doing for the very communities that they supposedly serve?? Nothing, look around you and wake up!
The victim mentality serves them (BM)real well because some of them have been emasculated for a long time. It is being passed down from one generation to the next in the form of irreponsibility.
Will it ever end? Will the majority of them ever claim real manhood? Will they ever stop destroying the communities? Iıll be waiting! BTW pull up your pants because that style is questionable, real men donıt walk around with their underwear showing in front of other so called men.
Now let me, as many would say 'troll' get you riled up enough to start ending this madness that is consuming the BC and make it a safe place for your families to live in. If not I advise all of the decent and hard working individuals to leave because the predators who are living there will destroy you and your dreams because they have none. Just like an earlier poster said "I know where I come from and I'm not going back!"
By I feel your pain
Jul 14, 2008 11:47 PM | Link to this
Based on the headline, I too was expecting to read some surprising development in this saga having to do with the BJBs giving the stolen clothes away or selling them and giving the money away.
Like one of my favorite journalism professors told me: "Say what you're going to say, then say it, don't say something else."
While you hope and expect that your editor will clean up and improve your copy, sometimes they do inexplicable things like tack on a headline that's only tangentially related to your piece. Or, sometimes - just like at any job - you get in a hurry and your brain sort of misfires.
Oh, well. Happens to all of us.
By Same ole, same old
Jul 14, 2008 11:36 PM | Link to this
Why would jeans cost $350? So that (certain) people will want them, just because they can't have them. Then they'll decide they just HAVE to have them.
Glad I'm not in that "certain category."
Just like when overalls were something only farmers wore, no one else wanted to wear them. But, remember back in the 80s, when Guess started to make them and they cost $100? Suddenly high school and junior high girls could scarcely go on living without a pair.
Same principle.
By Stephanie Jones
Jul 8, 2008 11:14 PM | Link to this
I've been following the stories of the "Blue Jean Bandits". Clearly these people do not fit the so-called Robin Hood mentality. This behavior should not be toletrated and when they are caught they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
I am extremely disturbed by the posts I have read in response to this article. As an African American female, I am fully aware racism still exists in this world today, but to categorize a whole race of people by the actions of a few is ridiculous! Although I have been discriminated against by a few white people in my life, I certainly do not believe all white people are racist. So why is it that so many white people feel all black people are thugs and criminals? Along that same line of thought, why do so many black people believe all white people are racists? Our world is in a sad state. Wake up people!! Stop judging people simply by the color of their skin or their socio-economic status. What happened to getting to know someone for the person they are? I find it disturbing so many so-called educated people are so narrow-minded.
Why does every issue have to come down to race? Stealing is wrong no matter who is doing it.
By Stacia
Jul 8, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this
Publicenemynumberone YOU CAN TRY TO FIGURE OUT AND IT STILL WOULDNT MATTER! I WOULD STILL HAVE MORE MONEY THAN YOU AND GUESS WHAT? I'LL STILL HANG AROUND "THUGS" ALL DAY IF I WANT TO! SCREW YOU! AND FOR THE RECORD WE'RE NOT "UPPER-MIDDLE CLASS" WE ARE HIGH CLASS! WE HAVE DIFFERENT CARS FOR THE DIFFERENT DAYS OF THE WEEK! MY CAR CHOICE FOR TODAY IS CLK MERCEDES TOMORROW IT MIGHT BE THE MASERATI! NOW IM OFF TO CLASS SEE YA IN HELL!
By Publicenemynumberone
Jul 8, 2008 7:22 AM | Link to this
I'm a busy man, but I think I have the time to figure out who a GSU grad student, that is the daughter of a lawyer and has a job offer from APS "is". I think that no matter who the daddy is, the Public School system will find Stacia's postings "interesting".
Maybe the AJC can do a story on why "upper-middle class" black children chose to act like fools when given golden opportunities?
By Dusty
Jul 8, 2008 7:10 AM | Link to this
Thing I learned today:
Blacks are not mentally equipped to make it in this civilization, so they steal.
By Kyle
Jul 7, 2008 11:20 PM | Link to this
Things I have learned today. KJ made more sense in three sentences than anyone else did in ten paragraphs (even if they were in all CAPS)
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