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Male Shoplifters Dress Up As Women to Rob Stores

Male Shoplifters Dress Up As Women to Rob Stores


Nashville Police say a cross-dressing shoplifting ring has struck again in Nashville-- this time in the Gulch area downtown.

"I thought they were just regular shoppers," said Bullets & Mullets sales associate Nicolette Henderson.

Bullets & Mullets, on Division Street in the Gulch, is known as one of the go to places for young and hip clothing.

Thursday afternoon, when a few suspicious shoppers entered the store, Henderson noticed one of them had a certain interesting flair for style.

She told Nashville's News 2, "What caught my attention was that one of the gentlemen was dressed as a lady."

That "lady" was decked out in a skirt and green blouse.

The cross-dresser walked in with his two buddies and they immediately split up.

"I noticed that one of them kept trying to make conversation with me so as I was talking I was still trying to watch the other two," said Henderson. "They kept going back and forth. One of them kept walking around but never picked anything up."

When the opportunity came, the man dressed as a woman made his move, grabbed some jeans and made his way out of the store without paying.

His buddy followed right behind him.

The shoplifting ring is known by boutique owners in Nashville (Tennessee).

They've named them the cross-dressing shoplifters, who have allegedly hit dozens of stores.

Just weeks ago, police arrested one cross-dressing thief who has several different looks.

Ashton Collins is believed to be the leader of the shoplifting ring, and has been arrested about a dozen times, but keeps getting out of jail.

Police were able to catch two of thieves who swiped items from Bullets & Mullets and recover some of stolen items, but Henderson said the "lady" got away.

She said, "I felt bad for the store owner, because I know that in a boutique, you put your hard-earned money into your items, and you don't want anyone to steal from you."

If you have any information on the thieves, call Nashville Metro police.

http://www.wkrn.com/story/15343296/cross-dressing-thieves-target-boutiques