Fashion faux pas: Young suspects accused of stealing $40K worth of clothing; returning to scene in stolen items

MILWAUKEE -- Two suspects are in custody, accused of taking $40,000 worth of clothing from a store at the Shops of Grand Avenue in downtown Milwaukee -- and police didn't have to go far to find them.

Shops of Grand Avenue

It was less than an hour before the J Bees store opened on Wednesday, September 23rd when the owners say thieves ransacked their store shelves.

Police responded to the store around 10:15 a.m. Wednesday.

Surveillance video shows three teens peering into the store -- with two eventually breaking in.

For 15 minutes, the store's owners say the teens could be seen pillaging the store -- taking high-end, designer jeans, shirts and hats.

In all, $40,000 worth of merchandise was taken.

Some near the mall on Wednesday were shocked to learn the value of the merchandise the teens were able to get away with.

"That's a lot of money worth of clothes!" one person said.

The store's owners say around noon, police arrived and began looking for fingerprints when a clerk noticed some familiar faces outside the store's entrance. Two of the suspects were outside a nearby store.

And that's not all. They were wearing clothing stolen from the store. The store's owners say the tags were still attached.

J Bees at Shops of Grand Avenue

The two suspects taken into custody are just 14 and 16 years old, according to the store's owners.

"I don't know how to react to that to be honest with you. I don't know," one person said.

The store's owners tell FOX6 News they were told by police the young suspects were kicked out of school on Wednesday morning.

A third teen, seen wearing a stolen hat, was questioned and released.

The store's owners say most of the stolen clothing is still missing, but they're hopeful the teens will turn it over to police.

J Bees at Shops of Grand Avenue