Police call them the Blue Jeans Bandits, because they hit high-end boutiques around Metro Atlanta for high priced pants. Now investigators could be close to cracking the case.
The latest heist was in Buckhead in the wee hours of Thursday morning, but this time the bandits left behind some very visual clues.
It is the sort of repeat business the boutique Moda 404 could do without. Early Thursday, five suspects smashed through the front door and got away with $60,000 worth of merchandise.
"Their faces are covered, for the most part," said Atlanta Police Major James Sellers. "But we're hoping that the public will recognize the body shapes, mannerisms, clothing and type of vehicle used and call our Crimestoppers with tips."
Police call them the Blue Jean Bandits, and believe they're responsible for more than a dozen such crimes around Metro Atlanta. "We're treating these as if they're connected," said Sellers. "There is a definite pattern going on here because the same items are taken away every time. We're talking about high dollar blue jeans starting at $250-to-$300."
The fear is that they're only getting bolder. Last month, the bandits didn't even bother to wait until the French Kiss boutique was closed before striking.
In the latest smash-and-grab, the culprits cleaned out the designer jean stacks and then cleared racks of other clothing. Each time, they set back small business owners big time.
Boutiques have banded together, sharing information and surveillance tapes and talking to police almost daily. One of the boutiques hit, P. Valentine, belongs to the wife of hip-hop artist Big Boi of Outkast. He has offered a $50,000 reward for anyone with information.
