Reward Offered for Bumbling Starter Jacket Thieves Caught on Tape

A store security video captures a group of retail thieves as they botched their own attempted heist of designer sports apparel at a Burbank sporting goods store.

The Sports Authority at 7720 S. Cicero Ave., Burbank, provided video that shows approximately five, young African-American men entering the store together around 1 p.m. Monday.

The crew, ranging in age from 15 to 20, immediately headed to the racks where Starter jackets were displayed approximately 20 feet away from the store entrance.

Within seconds, the thieves started grabbing the apparel off the racks, not appearing to notice that the jackets are still tethered to the racks by security cables.

The young men run for the door, dragging the racks with them. The crew is seen fleeing the area in a white Pontiac minivan bearing Illinois Registration N916290.

Burbank Police said the crew got away with two jackets and damaged three others in the process. The apparel retails at $150 for an adult-sized jacket and $100 for a child's.

The suspects seen on video have been described by some news media as a “flash mob.” Division Chief Michael Dudlo, of the Burbank Police Department, called the thieves "organized."

“This isn’t a flash mob, they all came in one car and left in one car,” Dudlo said. “This was an organized effort.”

Dudlo said that if apprehended, the offenders would most likely be charged with retail theft and criminal damage to property.

Hours later, a similar crew swarmed the Sports Authority in Frankfort. They fared better than in Burbank. This time, the apparel wasn’t cabled to the display racks.

Employees told Frankfort Patch that crew started grabbing Starter jackets off the racks before fleeing in what they described as a gray Pontiac minivan.

Like the Burbank heist, the crew was in and out of the Frankfort store in under 60 seconds.

The crew got away with 59 Bears, Cubs and White Sox Starter jackets valued at over $5,000.

A Sports Authority store at 3134 N. Clark St. in Chicago was robbed in a similar manner, according to Burbank Police.

Dudlo said that Burbank and Frankfort investigators were meeting Friday to compare notes.

Citizens with information are urged to contact the Burbank Police Department Investigations Unit at 708-924-7300.

The Sports Authority is also offering a $5,000 reward through CrimeStoppers for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the offenders.