Shoplifters Caught With $20K in Cosmetics: Police

Police say they caught a pair of women shoplifting at a JC Penney this week in the suburbs of Washington, DC. No big deal, except the women had allegedly stuffed $20,000 in stolen beauty products into their shopping bags and car trunks, the Washington Post reports. Police accuse Darquesha Wilkinson, 19, and Latasha Mungo, 24, of stealing high-end lotions, makeup, and perfume in an ongoing scheme to resell the products at cheaper prices.

“That’s what they do," said police sergeant Aubrey Thompson. "This is their job. It only takes them but 30 seconds." Wilkinson and Mungo swiped cosmetics in sweeps three or four times a day, police say, always dressed well and acting confident. Wilkinson denies any wrongdoing, but police are investigating a possible larger ring that sells the big-brand products in bulk to small beauty salons. Said Thompson: "It's the tip of the iceberg." (More shoplifting stories.)