A Connecticut couple has been charged with retail theft in Ramsey County after allegedly stealing from stores across several states, including Minnesota.
Akwele Lawes-Richards, 45, and Jadion Anthony Richards, 44, were arrested for organized retail theft after being caught shoplifting at the Lululemon store at Rosedale Center in Roseville on November 14.
The incident began when a security alarm went off as they tried to leave the store. Richards claimed racial profiling and accused employees of setting off the alarm intentionally.
After police identified them through their driver’s licenses, the couple was allowed to leave the store, and the alarm was no longer triggered.
A day earlier, a Lululemon employee had warned police about a major theft involving three suspects, later identified as the couple and another man who has not been named. The man was reported to have stolen 45 items worth nearly $5,000. The couple is linked to significant retail losses across the country, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Surveillance footage confirmed the theft, and the couple was arrested later when they visited another Lululemon store in Woodbury. Richards was found trying to hide a wallet with multiple credit cards.
Lawes-Richards initially denied being at the Roseville store, claiming they had just arrived in Minnesota and stayed with her aunt in Bloomington. However, further investigation revealed that Richards had rented a hotel room in Bloomington, where police discovered 12 suitcases filled with over $50,000 worth of stolen Lululemon items.
Authorities praised the work of local police and the Retail Crime Unit for tracking down the couple. The pair’s first court appearance was scheduled for Monday, with a follow-up hearing set for December 16.