HOUSTON, Texas – People who live and work near Houston Lululemon stores say the company is inviting crime into their neighborhoods... doing little to protect customers from repeat thefts.
2 Investigator Amy Davis requested the police reports to put the crime into perspective, and she interviewed customers who say they are worried the company is “normalizing” the thefts by not stopping them.
Flash mob shoplifters have targeted Houston Lululemon stores 51 times in just six months, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in merchandise while the company’s security policies face mounting criticism from customers and community members.
The Heights location was hit three times in one day.
Police reports reveal organized theft rings repeatedly hit three Houston Lululemon locations - Heights, Rice Village, and City Centre - sometimes multiple times in a single day, according to an investigation by KPRC 2 News.
Witnesses describe frightening encounters with thieves who face zero resistance due to Lululemon’s controversial security policies.
“I was terrified,” said Jess Schindler, who found herself trapped inside the Heights Boulevard store in February when five men stormed in with large trash bags. “Somebody got knocked over that was right in their pathway. They were just shoveling as much merchandise as possible.”
The police nor took security measures after the thefts but immediately started restocking and returning to business as usual.
Surveillance video: Flash mob shoplifters targeted Houston Lululemon stores 51 times in 6 months
Rising community concerns
The Canadian athletic wear retailer’s approach to security has sparked concern among Houston residents.
One man who witnessed a January theft while shopping with his wife and young children, said he was shocked by the company’s response.
“Having that occur so close in proximity and not knowing what may come out of it around my young family,” he said.
Both he and Schindler said store employees neither called the police nor took security measures after the thefts but immediately started restocking and returning to business as usual.
Staggering losses
Documents obtained through police reports detail the scale of the problem. We found these startling specifics:
- January 4: Thieves stole 210 pairs of leggings worth $21,000 from the Rice Village location.
- One hour later: Another group took $18,000 in merchandise from the City Centre store.
- January 18: The Heights location was hit three times on this day - at 1:02 p.m., 3:12 p.m., and 4:10 p.m. - with losses exceeding $10,000.
Houston Police Officer Mike Medina, who has made multiple arrests in these cases, questioned the company’s security stance.
“From what we’ve seen at other department stores is they have some form of security, either inside or outside of the store,” Medina said.
Online resale market
The stolen merchandise feeds a thriving illegal resale market. Social media posts reveal “Lulu Boosters” - individuals who steal and resell the products at lower prices - openly advertising their services online.
There are “boosters” for all types of stolen merchandise.
Just one example: Police arrested 27-year-old Dejah Williams, a fugitive from Mississippi, after two separate incidents. On Jan. 31, she was caught with $23,000 worth of stolen leggings, and days later, she was arrested again with more than $8,000 in merchandise.
Company response
When questioned about security measures, a store employee told Schindler that Lululemon “fosters inclusivity and peace” and believes police presence would deter customers who fear law enforcement.
When KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis asked about this, the company’s corporate office stated they have invested in organized retail crime resources and collaborate with local law enforcement, but did not directly address questions about in-store security measures.
This policy drew additional scrutiny after a 2023 incident in Atlanta where two employees were fired for attempting to stop thieves and calling police, actions that violated company policy.
At the time Lululemon’s CEO said the employees “knowingly broke the policy, engaged with the thieves ... that was what resulted in the termination.”
Recent changes
Following questions from KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis, Lululemon appears to be adjusting its approach. The Heights location now has security guards stationed during business hours and overnight to prevent burglaries.
From July through January, police arrested 11 shoplifting suspects from the three Houston locations, with total losses exceeding $275,000 during that period.
Complete Lululemon statement
“At lululemon, the safety and wellbeing of our people, guests, and the communities we serve is our top priority. We take shoplifting and thefts very seriously and are taking decisive steps to combat and prevent these issues.
In Houston, we have invested in organized retail crime (ORC) resources and have investigators actively collaborating with local law enforcement. While ongoing investigations limit what we can share publicly, this work has already led to multiple arrests this year and supports our broader efforts to address ORC and strengthen store safety.
Across our stores in North America, we continually assess and update our security measures, which can include a combination of on-site security presence, enhanced team training and advanced technologies to detect and track theft rings. In active theft situations, our store teams are empowered to call 911 when needed and are instructed to report every incident through our internal tools and systems and prioritize safety in their response protocol. We also have dedicated team members providing real-time remote monitoring support and relaying critical information to law enforcement.
Retail crime is a serious, industry-wide problem, and we remain committed to being an active and responsive community partner, working closely with law enforcement and retail peers to build cases that lead to arrests and prosecutions.”
-Lululemon Spokesperson
