A couple from Danbury, Connecticut, Jadion Anthony Richards, 44, and Akwele Nickeisha Lawes-Richards, 45, have been charged in Minnesota for their involvement in a nationwide shoplifting ring targeting Lululemon stores. The couple is accused of stealing goods worth approximately $1 million across the country.
They were charged with organized retail theft and released on bail, with Richards posting a $100,000 bond and Lawes-Richards a $30,000 bond. Their next court appearance is scheduled for December 16 in Ramsey County District Court in St. Paul.
The couple was under investigation by a Lululemon loss prevention officer before their confrontation with police on November 14 at a store in Roseville, Minnesota. According to the criminal complaints, they were part of a larger theft ring responsible for significant losses at Lululemon locations nationwide.
They reportedly employed a scheme where they would steal items from stores, then make fraudulent returns for store credit or exchanges, defrauding Lululemon of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Connecticut Couple Charged in Nationwide Shoplifting Ring Targeting Lululemon Stores
Police discovered over $50,000 worth of stolen Lululemon items when they searched the couple’s hotel room in Bloomington. Investigators also linked the couple to thefts in multiple states, including Colorado, Utah, New York, and Connecticut.
In Minnesota, the couple is also accused of stealing from Lululemon stores in Minneapolis, Woodbury, Edina, and Minnetonka. Their criminal activities were part of a pattern of traveling to various cities, committing thefts, and then returning to the East Coast to exchange or refund the stolen items.
The theft method involved Richards purchasing inexpensive items from the store before returning with Lawes-Richards and another woman to steal more expensive products. They would remove security sensors from items and place them on items Richards had already purchased.
The women would then conceal the stolen items under their clothing and exit the store, triggering the security alarm. Richards would then present the receipt for the purchased items to confuse staff, while the women walked out undetected with the stolen merchandise.
The charges are part of Minnesota’s efforts to combat organized retail theft, supported by a state law passed last year. This law has already been used to prosecute individuals involved in retail theft, and it aims to reduce the economic harm caused by such crimes, including job loss, higher consumer prices, and potential safety threats to retail workers. Lululemon has emphasized its ongoing collaboration with law enforcement and the use of advanced technology to prevent retail crime and hold offenders accountable.
