Southlake police search for 2 suspects, investigate thefts of tag printers from stores
Southlake police asked for help Tuesday to identify two men accused of stealing more than $1,000 worth of tag printers from a Bed, Bath and Beyond store in April.
One of the suspects is believed to have stolen more tag printers — which employees use to print tags to put prices on items — from a Southlake Kroger grocery store earlier the same day, and Southlake police noted other similar thefts also may have occurred in the area.
In social media posts, Southlake police called the unidentified thieves “Zebra Shirt” and “Chin Strap,” making up the names because one wore a zebra-striped T-shirt and blue jeans, while the other had what police were told is a “chinstrap beard.”
“No stache. No goatee,” Southlake police wrote on social media on Tuesday. “Head on, it’s just like an outline of a mountain on his face, but it’s a beard.”
The theft was reported about 1 p.m. on April 18 at Bed, Bath and Beyond, 2930 E. Southlake Blvd.
Initially, “Zebra Shirt” walked into the store during the “Beyond Cooking Event” sale and talked to employees, asking them questions.
While the first man distracted the employees, “Chin Strap” walked into the store, went to a hallway and took two tag printers and stuffed them down his pants, police said, based on surveillance video.
“We don’t know why they stole them except that they’re expensive and there’s no anti-theft device on them,” Southlake police posted. “Or maybe they liked their zebra shirt so much and then they saw the brand of the tag printer was also ‘Zebra,’ and they were like ‘oooooh.’ There’s a lot of mysteries afoot.”
The man in the striped shirt finished talking to employees and sat in a chair by the store exit, police said. The bearded man then left the store, followed by the other man.
Southlake police did not have any information on the suspects’ escape vehicle.
Anyone with information should call Southlake crime analyst Diana Smith at 817-748-8915 or email her at DSmith@ci.southlake.tx.us.
Police also recommended that store managers brief their employees not to leave tag printers lying around.
