A group of bystanders were caught on video trapping alleged shoplifters inside a Tennessee store while they waited for police to arrive.
The incident occurred on Saturday at the Perfumania in Nashville's Tanger Outlets.
An eyewitness identified only as "Preston" told local station WSMV that thieves had stormed into the shop wearing masks and hoodies.
“All of the sudden I hear them start yelling they saying, ‘Y’all can’t be in here,’” Preston said of the Perfumania staff. “So, I turned around and I see three or four people walk in with masks, hoodies on.”
The staff locked the store's front and back doors and ran out. Preston ran out with them.
Preston began rounding up other shoppers, asking them to help keep the alleged criminals inside the store. His mother filmed the effort. Citizens in Nashville, Tennessee are so sick and tired of criminals getting away with ruining their city.
So these shoppers just locked shoplifters in the Tanger Outlets store they were robbing.
The people have had enough.pic.twitter.com/gnfmFg5Njb
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) June 5, 2024
“I’ve never seen it happen before, so I was a little in shock,” Preston said. “I just was doing what I thought I should do.”
“[They were] Trying to run around the store, break into the cash register, break through the glass, get all the cologne out of the shelves and stuff,” Preston said. NEW: Shoppers barricade a group of burglars inside a Perfumania store in Nashville, Tennessee after the thugs tried stealing merchandise.
Love this 🔥
According to police, four suspects tried stealing hundreds of dollars of merchandise at the store.
The thugs were able to… pic.twitter.com/bSxEZ1JnZB
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 5, 2024
Unfortunately, the group was able to break out of the back entrance to the store before police arrived — 30 minutes later.
“And they [shoppers and store owners] said this happened a lot in their area, like in that mall,” Preston said. “The other people seemed really upset about it because they live in the area. They’re just upset that it happens so often.”
No arrests have been made at the time of publishing.
