SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — Southaven Police have asked for help locating three shoplifting suspects, and they’re now beefing up their presence in shopping areas for the holiday season.
Officers have responded to several incidents at the Tanger Outlets, where thieves walked away with thousands of dollars worth of merchandise.
Authorities released photos of three women Monday and said they stole more than $1,100 worth of items from the Tommy Hilfiger store at Tanger Outlets.
“Bad guys want the easy shopping, and they’re going to come after the stuff they can get easily,” DeSoto County Sheriff’s Lt. Mike Cowan said.
Anyone preparing for Black Friday and regular holiday shopping should expect to see more officers on patrol.
“The municipalities and the sheriff’s office, we work together to make sure we have a very high visibility this time of the year, and we want to make sure people know to report stuff when they see suspicious activity,” Lt. Cowan said.
Thieves don’t just target stores, and Lt. Cowan warned shoppers to be aware of their surroundings.
“One of the things we want to make sure we do it keep things out of sight,” he said. “If we’re going from one store to the next and taking our vehicles, we want to make sure we lock stuff in the trunk where it’s not visible.”
For anyone who may be thinking of stealing from stores in the county, Lt. Cowan had a message.
“We don’t play the same here in DeSoto County, so we’re going to make sure we absolutely look for you, we’re going to find you, we will catch you, and you’re going to spend your holidays in the DeSoto County jail,” he said.
Management at Tanger Outlets said there is a security plan in place, but it’s not available to the public. There are several cameras in the parking lots.
Anyone with information about who the women who stole from Tanger Outlets might be should call Southaven Police at (662) 393-0228.