Kohl's store in Delaware County being hit time and time again by shoplifters

HAVERFORD TWP, Pa. (WPVI) -- Police say a Kohl's in Delaware County is being repeatedly targeted for retail theft, with more than $5,000 worth of goods stolen in the past month.

The store in Haverford Township sits between West Chester Pike and Township Line Road. Police say one suspect has hit the store repeatedly.

In one trip on March 29, police say he took more than $2,000 worth of sneakers and sportswear.

"All the security officers talk, obviously, and they have found that this same person has hit different stores in different parts of the area," said Chief John Viola.

He says the suspect had an escape plan.

"Went out the fire escape door, put it in the back of the pickup truck and drove away," he said.

That was one of five times police say the same Kohl's has been victim to retail theft in the past month.

"It gets hit continually with shoplifting," said Viola. "These criminals think they can just walk in and grab stuff and walk out - and they do."

Earlier that same day, on March 29, police say a man in an Eagles jersey walked out with more than $500 worth of clothing.

On March 5, police say a woman took close to $1,000 worth of makeup from Sephora.

On March 10, investigators say two men walked out with more than $700 worth of merchandise.

"You and I go shopping. These thefts drive our prices up. Who ends up paying for it? The consumers do," said Viola.

The problem goes far beyond Haverford Township. The Action News data journalism team found in 2023, the FBI took nearly a million shoplifting reports.

Police in Delaware County say these criminals need to know they will be held accountable.

"Some of the areas don't prosecute as heavily as we do and that drives a lot of the crime out to our area," said Viola.