Multiple Ulta thefts in Chester County traced back to crime ring

EXTON, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The Ulta Beauty on West Lincoln Highway in Exton, Pennsylvania has been hit by thieves at least three times in November and police believe a crime ring is responsible for some of them.

West Whiteland police released video of a group of men they said stole thousands of dollars worth of perfume from the store. One man would act as a lookout, another would distract employees, and the third man would take the perfume.

Police believe the same group hit the store twice in November taking around $3,000 worth of merchandise.

"In looking at this group, they are very active around the Philadelphia market area. Probably down into Maryland, too," said Detective Scott Pezick of the West Whiteland Police Department. "We don't know who they are, but they are up to probably over $12,000 in thefts from this area."

Police are also looking for a woman who was caught on camera taking perfume from the store in early November. They said she took merchandise worth around $4,000.

The thefts are part of a growing trend.

"A bottle of fragrance is easy to conceal, it's a hundred dollars a bottle so you can probably put 10 bottles in your pants, cargo pants whatever, and walk out fairly easy," said Det. Pezick.

6abc covered a number of thefts from Ulta in 2023, including a group using a baby stroller to take merchandise in Spring Township in February, and a group of women filling up a baskets and walking out with thousands of dollars worth of stuff from the store in Exton in January.

"That's kind of insane, I don't know why anyone would do something like that," said Katie Keown, who was shopping at Ulta.

Police said they usually see a rise in thefts around the holidays, and some stores are taking notice. Sephora announced it will no longer stock fragrances on shelves because of thefts.

Shoppers hope that doesn't happen in Chester County.

"There's got to be something else you can do about people that are taking it and not just locking up everything for everyone," said Ava Raysor, a shopper at Ulta.

6abc reached out to Ulta to see if it plans to institute the same measures but did not receive a response.