Three men face multiple robbery charges after shocking video footage showed a brazen $7,000 snatch-and-grab at a Lululemon store in Atlanta that led to two store employees being fired for confronting the masked thieves.
Quintavious Gooch, 19, Braylon Shivers, 20, and Bayo Allen, 19, were arrested two days after the April 24 incident and they currently remain behind bars at Fayette County Jail in Georgia.
Shocking video showed the thieves as they ransacked the Peachtree Corners store – where there has been a recent spate of robberies – grabbed armfuls of the pricey athletic clothing, and then fled in their getaway vehicle.
Quintavious Gooch, 19, Braylon Shivers, 20, and Bayo Allen, 19, remain in custody after video showed a $7,000 snatch-and-grab at a Lululemon store in Peachtree Corners, Atlanta
Quintavious Gooch, 19, is charged with theft by shoplifting, theft by receiving stolen property
Braylon Shivers, 20, is charged with theft by shoplifting, theft by receiving stolen property and possession of marijuana
Bayo Allen, 19, is charged with theft by shoplifting and theft by receiving stolen property
The video of the brazen robbery was posted on Facebook last week by Jason Ferguson the husband of former assistant manager Jennifer Ferguson who both claim she was let go from her job at the store for calling police on the thieves.
‘This was this group’s fifth (maybe close to 10th) time robbing the store with NO ACTION TAKEN by Lululemon to curb the robberies and keep the employees safe,’ Jason Ferguson ranted in his post.
But Lululemon has a policy of not interfering with robberies for the safety of their employees, the company states in its handbook.
Rachel Rogers, 23, who worked as a sales associate, recorded the latest robbery and said the store has fallen victim to the same group of thieves for weeks.
They said the thieves would consistently strike around an hour before closing time when they would snatch as much merchandise from the racks and tables closest to the door and then flee to their getaway car.
Police posted a pictured of the inside of the SUV that was filled with stolen Lululemon goods
Four men were taken into custody at the scene of the arrest on April 26
Police tracked down the red Subaru SUV despite the suspects changing the license plate
A spokesperson for Lululemon told investigators that four men, wearing the same clothing, were responsible for another robbery of Lululemon store in the metro Atlanta area the same week. It’s unclear if the suspects have been charged with both robberies.
‘No, no, no, you can march back out,’ Ferguson is heard yelling during the latest robbery at a masked thief swiping leggings from a display while his accomplice holds the door open for him. Another thief swoops in and grabs more clothing.
Ferguson, a mother of four, then shouts: ‘Seriously. Get out! Get Out!’
‘Chill, b****, shut your a** up,’ one of the thieves can be heard telling her.
The employees followed the thieves outside where they piled the goods into their getaway car.
They did not physically try to stop the thieves, but instead called the Gwinnett Police Department, who were able to track down the red Subaru SUV despite the suspects changing the license plate during their getaway.
But Ferguson and Rogers claim they were let go for trying to stop them and ‘breaking employee handbook policy’ of not interfering with a robbery.
Jennifer Ferguson (pictured) and Rachel Rogers were allegedly let go for trying to stop the thieves and ‘breaking employee handbook policy’ of not interfering with a robbery
Rachel Rogers said the reason she was fired wasn’t clear besides being told there was a ‘no-tolerance policy’
Shocking footage shows masked robbers taking merchandise from displays near the front of the Lululemon store in Atlanta, before rushing out to their getaway car
A spokesman for Lululemon said: ‘The safety and security of our employees and guests is always lululemon’s top priority, and we have policies and protocols in place to uphold a safe environment.’
It added: ‘We take thefts and vandalism very seriously and our focus right now is supporting our educators, as well as continuing to collaborate with local partners and law enforcement.’
The women claim the company also has policy of reporting robberies internally instead of alerting authorities – but the employee handbook asks staff to call 911 immediately after suspects have left the store.
Jennifer said: ‘We are not supposed to get in the way. You kind of clear path for whatever they’re going to do.
‘And then, after it’s over, you scan a QR code. And that’s that. We’ve been told not to put it in any notes, because that might scare other people. We’re not supposed to call the police, not really supposed to talk about it.’
She and Rogers said they were fired for breaking policy and they were told there is a ‘zero tolerance policy’.
‘It wasn’t very clear. They didn’t give specific reasoning besides just saying they have a ‘no-tolerance policy,’ Rogers said.
And Jennifer said the same thing and added: ‘They said I was terminated immediately with no severance because they have a zero-tolerance policy.’
Her husband added that Gwinnett Police Department arrived quickly once alerted to the robbery and four officers came to statements and expressed concern they had never been notified of the earlier thefts.
Their report led to the suspects being arrested the next day, according to him, as they tried to steal from another Lululemon store in Peachtree City.
It comes as stores across the US experience a sharp rise in crime and some major retailers have been forced to shut down shops due to millions of dollars in losses as rampant theft plagues businesses.
The incident happened at the Lululemon store in Peachtree Corners
Lululemon has a policy of not interfering with robberies for the safety of their employees
Shoplifting has reached alarming levels and large retailers, including Target, Macy’s and Best Buy, are now making good on threats to shutter outlets if petty crime was not lowered.
In 2021 retailers lost a combined $94.5billion to shrink, a term used to describe theft and other types of inventory loss. And organized retail crime incidents soared by 26.5 per cent in the same year, according to the 2022 National Retail Security Survey.
Brazen daylight thefts and self-checkouts have also made it easier for people to walk out without paying for items.
Workers in one San Francisco Target store say they are being shoplifted every ten minutes.
Employees say they have watched individuals actively ‘shoveling’ goods into bags before making off.
Goods including trays of lipstick and nail polishes are being cleaned out by shoplifters on a daily basis.
