By Connor Adams Sheets
Police are looking for help from the public in figuring out who is behind a rash of thefts that has hit the Gap clothing store in the Bay Terrace Shopping Center in Bayside this summer.
Police have few leads in determining who stole from the store 46 pairs of leggings worth $1,607 Aug. 9, 24 pairs of leggings worth $1,678 July 27 and 38 pairs of jeans worth $2,261 June 26.
Police do not have any suspects or photos to assist them in their search at this time and they believe the thefts may be being carried out by a team of criminals, so any help from the public would be much appreciated, according to 109th Precinct Crime Prevention Officer Anthony LoVerme.
“People should just keep their eyes open,” LoVerme said Monday “If they see people doing this type of thing, alert staff or call 911. Or if they see people loading a bunch of stuff into a car from a store and driving away, if they can call 911 or get a plate number, that would be a big help.”
LoVerme said employees at department stores such as the Gap should be alert to suspicious activities that suggest this type of crime pattern and that they need to implement security measures to protect their property.
He strongly recommends such stores install enough security cameras to ensure there are no blind spots and that they should have uniformed security guards working at entrances and exits and patrolling the interior of the stores.
And employees should be vigilant about calling 911 whenever they see anything suspect, LoVerme said.
Reach reporter Connor Adams Sheets by e-mail at csheets@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
