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Thieving trio thought covered-up license plate would help them get away, police say

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Published  May 6, 2024 6:48pm EDT
Peachtree City
FOX 5 Atlanta

Shoplifters try to cover license plate with paper

Peachtree City Police say the three women, accused of stealing nearly $7,000 in merchandise from Lululemon, covered their license plate and thought that would be enough to foil technology like tag readers.

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. - A trio of snatch and run robbers who police say hit multiple stores in south metro Atlanta were arrested after a traffic stop where police say they recovered over $7,000 in stolen merchandise.

Peachtree City Police say the three women covered their license plate and thought that would be enough to foil technology like tag readers that are everywhere and monitor every vehicle’s coming and going.

A worker on her lunch break from another store saw the women leaving the Peachtree City Lululemon store with huge bags of obviously stolen merchandise and started recording on her phone. Her video and 911 call helped Fayette County deputies to later find the Nissan Sentra. The video given to FOX 5 shows the paper had fallen down and revealed the tag number as they were driving away.

Police say a paper shield covering the tag is not enough anyway. The technology can also recognize the make and model of cars.

After the Fayette County deputy pulled the car over and arrested the three women, police say they found over $3,600 in stolen merchandise from the Lululemon store and over $4,500 stolen from a Dick’s Sporting Goods in Newnan.

Under arrest, police say, 24-year-old Shaquita Thomas and 21-year-old Tamiah Andrews. They are being held without bond and are suspects in other snatch and run robberies in metro Atlanta.

The third woman, and the driver of the car, was 25-year-old Nautica Smith, according to police. She was given bond and had no prior criminal history.

All three women have been charged with felony shoplifting.

Police say the surveillance video shows the women breaking out big shopping bags and stuffing clothing, still on the hangers, inside them. They say with Thomas and Andrews suspected of similar crimes in other cities, they believe the women are part of an organized crime ring that targets retail stores with snatch and run thefts. In this case, foiled by a piece of paper, and the good work of a concerned citizen who recorded the car and called 911.