Female Thieves Threaten Nordstrom Staff With Bolt Cutter: Police

SKOKIE, IL — Police said a group of shoplifters thousands of dollars worth of high-end merchandise from the Nordstrom in the Westfield Old Orchard shopping center Tuesday before threatening store staff while escaping.

Officers were dispatched to the mall shortly before 11:15 a.m., after more than a half-dozen people coordinated a smash-and-grab theft from the retailer before fleeing in one or more Pontiacs, according to Skokie police.

Four women entered the store and left with $10,250 worth of handbags, scarves and socks from the department store's display racks. On the way out, police said, one of the women threatened a Nordstrom loss prevention agent with a bolt cutter.

The store staffer allowed the group to leave, there was no fight, and no injuries were reported.

Skokie police provided images of the suspects from video captured by security camera.

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Police said the four women were all described as in their early 20s. One wore a gray sweatshirt, another with a heavy build wore a camouflage-colored hoodie and black leggings, a third wore an Adidas outfit and the fourth donned denim jeans, a gray hoodie and a black hair bonnet.

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The thieves put the stolen goods into a purple Pontiac Bonnevile with a license plate of 531458, which police said was actually registered to a blue 2015 Chevrolet.

They were assisted by a man in his early 20s with a thin build wearing a white tank top, according to police. That car was last spotted fleeing west out of the store parking lot.

Some of the shoplifters may also have gotten into a second Bonnevile with tinted windows and two other men inside. That car was last seen fleeing west down Golf Road toward Lawler Avenue, according to police.

There were no arrests made as of Friday morning. Police asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the department's non-emergency line at 847-982-5900, its 24-hour tip hotline at 847-933-8477 or by texting "Skokie" and a crime tip to 847411.

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