Outlet malls in St. Augustine have been the target of thieves.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office released two images of women whom it said stole $600 worth of belts from a Gucci store.
The police report from the incident says the employee at the store that day believes the women looked like the women from a theft that occurred in August.
Action News spoke with one man who says he used to work at the outlet malls for five years and says he’s seen people looking to steal firsthand.
“When I used to work there, I used to have some people walk in that were up to something, like they’re looking to see where everything was,” said former outlet mall employee Pierluigi Coutouney.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office said in the past year, there have been 31 instances of burglaries, shoplifting and theft.
At the Premium Outlet Mall, just across the street, there were even more.
Deputies say there were 59, including two holdups.
“We see this trend and know there are groups that travel up and down Interstate 95 and that's their job,” said Cmdr. Chuck Mulligan.
Mulligan says the thieves most likely steal the items and then sell them online.
Coutouney says he thinks it’s time the outlet malls take a more proactive stance.
“They should definitely get a little bit heavier security,” said Coutouney.
Deputies say they have deputies patrolling the outlet malls on a daily basis.
WJAX
