Denver retailers see rise in brazen thefts

DENVER – A group of businesses in Denver’s Montbello neighborhood is reporting an increase in shoplifting and must take extra measures to avoid being targeted.

One of the most recent incidents occurred Tuesday at the Noemi Boutique in a shopping center in the 4700 block of Peoria.

Owner Noemi Yac said three men and a woman entered her store during opening hours, took several items, put them in bags and then left without paying for anything.

Their images were recorded on surveillance videos.

“(It was) a traumatic experience,” Yac said in Spanish. “They opened bags and started grabbing belts and hats.”

Noemi Boutique

They say it is a worrying trend that is also affecting their neighbors.

“I am not the only victim,” she said.

Next door, at Boost Mobile, employee Leslie Sandoval said they were also affected.

“We’ve noticed that the crime rate is going up, including thefts,” she said. “It’s definitely gotten worse. They’re taking headphones and leaving boxes empty, basically grabbing stuff and walking away with it.”

Sandoval said they had to take extra measures to secure their items.

“Now we are covering the speakers and leaving them empty. Before, we turned them off,” she said, adding that they had also increased the number of surveillance cameras.

Noemi Boutique

“We have a lot going on. As you can see, this is one of the busiest stores, so we have no way of always keeping track of what’s really going on,” Sandoval said.

Back at Noemi’s store, she hired private security after this week’s incident.

“What happened happened, but hopefully there will be justice,” she said.

Other businesses in the mall told Denver7 behind closed doors that they were also concerned about the recent increase in crime.

Denver police could not confirm if there will be increased patrols at this particular mall, but said any business owner can call and request additional patrols in the area.

‘A traumatic experience’: Denver retailers report rise in brazen thefts