Brazen Thief Hits Downtown OKC Business Multiple Times

Oklahoma City Police are looking for a thief who has very expensive taste.

In the past six months, he's taken more than $5,000 worth of designer sunglasses from one downtown store. And he may have a partner in crime.

Workers at the Leadership Square Eye Care store say the thief always tends to come in during the busiest part of the day. They say he always goes right to this eyeglass display case and usually tries on the sunglasses. But instead of putting them back, he slips them right in his pocket.

"He tried a pair on, put it in his pocket, tried a pair on, put it in his pocket, tried a pair on and put it in his pocket," said Michelle Chandler.

Chandler is one of the workers at the Leadership Square Eye Care store. She says the thief is bold, and has robbed them blind three times; once in September, once in November, and just four days ago too. They are sick of it.

"The fact that he has the audacity to come in and speak to us, and stand here and then do it more than one time is extremely frustrating," said Chandler.

The workers say he usually takes Ray Bans, although he recently pocketed an expensive pair of Maui Jim shades too.

"What he is taking is something that has street value," said Chandler. "He could turn it around and sell it very quickly."

Workers say the thief usually crouches down and uses their high countertop and other customers in the store to keep workers from seeing what he's doing. But he wasn't counting on the cameras all over the store.

Surveillance video from those cameras show a good look at the crook while he's talking to one of the workers. And they were able to catch a great shot of him as he faces one of the cameras. But workers think he has an accomplice, a lady friend, who acts as a decoy and lookout.

"It's just frustrating because we know that he's out there, we just can't catch him," said Chandler.

The video from that surveillance camera is very clear, so workers and police are just hoping that someone will recognize the man before he strikes again. If you do recognize the man in the video, or know who he is, you are urged to call Crime Stoppers at (405) 235-7300.