Shoplifter Steals Nearly $10K In Jeans At Midtown Stores: NYPD

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — A prolific shoplifter swiped nearly $10,000 worth of denim from more than a dozen Midtown Manhattan clothing stores during a robbery spree in the month of January, police said.

During the robbery spree, which began Jan. 10 and ended Jan. 29, the thief would enter Midtown clothing stores, grab a stack of denim jeans from a display case and flee the store before ever attracting the attention of store employees or security, police said. One security video released recently by the NYPD shows the man getting in and out of a Fifth Avenue Furla store with a handful of purses — the only time he strayed from stealing jeans— within 10 seconds.

Police say the man wore an identical black ski jacket during all but one of the eight robberies he is accused of. The back of the jacket features a large logo depicting a ski patrol badge with the words "black diamond/avalanche watch" written on it, according to police photos.

Here's a full breakdown of the robberies:

• Jan. 10 at The Gap on 734 Lexington Ave.: Jeans worth $1,599 stolen;
• Jan. 12 at The Gap on 734 Lexington Ave.: Jeans worth $600 stolen;
• Jan. 18 at The Gap on734 Lexington Ave.: Jeans worth $1,400 stolen;
• Jan. 20 at Furla on 645 Fifth Ave.: Purses worth $756 stolen;
• Jan. 21 at The Gap on 1514 Broadway: Jeans worth $1,280 stolen;
• Jan. 25 at Banana Republic on 626 Fifth Ave.: Jeans worth $858 stolen;
• Jan. 27 at Banana Republic on 626 Fifth Ave.: Jeans worth $1,650 stolen;
• Jan. 29 at The Gap on 122 Fifth Ave.: Jeans worth $1,600 stolen;

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477).