Media

A.L.E.R.T. Task Force Recovers Thousands of Dollars Worth of Stolen Merchandise

Release Date: April 18, 2005

Thousands of dollars worth of stolen clothes and accessories were recovered this weekend after a man was arrested for shoplifting at the Factory Outlet Mall in Lakeland.

Just after 5 p.m., Robert Brown, 37, of Memphis, was observed hiding clothes in his pants and under his shirt on a store security camera at VF Factory Outlet this past Saturday.

Brown ran from the store and security officers tackled him in a parking lot outside the mall. When deputies from the Sheriff’s Office A.L.E.R.T. (Area Law Enforcement Retail Teams) Task Force arrived to arrest Brown, they discovered thousands of dollars worth of stolen merchandise in his car.

Men’s clothes, women’s apparel, cologne, purses, shoes and other items apparently stolen from such stores as Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Talbots, Brooks Brothers, Motherhood, New York and Company, Finish Line, Eddie Bauer and Men’s Warehouse were discovered. Deputies are investigating the circumstances of the thefts and say more arrests are expected.

Robert Brown was charged with theft of property over $500 and simple assault.

A.L.E.R.T. Task Force stats for 2005:

• People charged with the sale of stolen or counterfeit property: 35
• Value of Seized Counterfeit items: $170,000
• Value of Stolen Property Recovered: $15,000
• Cash Recovered: $1300