Two people were arrested and charged after a fast-moving break-in at YINOVE LUXE in Frontenac ended with designer bags stolen, a resale attempt and a police call from a boutique worker who spotted the merchandise. Police said the theft happened around 2:20 a.m. Tuesday, when two people in hoods forced their way into the luxury resale store and took handbags and a hat.
Security video captured the break-in. Store owner Shuwen Zou said he got an alert from the alarm system early Tuesday morning and watched the footage on his phone. He said he saw two people come through the front door, grab bags and run out in about 20 seconds. Zou said 12 items were taken, and Frontenac Police said the stolen merchandise was valued at $35,301.
Zou said the thieves appeared to know exactly what they wanted. In his view of the video, he said they moved straight for several high-end bags, including Goyard, Celine and Chanel items. The owner of YINOVE LUXE later said the burglary was especially frustrating because he now has to deal with an insurance claim, repairs and restocking while trying to recover from the loss.
The break-in quickly spilled beyond Frontenac. Later the same day, Jerrail West tried to sell a Louis Vuitton men’s crossbody bag valued at $1,885 at one resale shop. The owner turned him away, saying he recognized West from earlier suspicious sales and believed the bag was stolen. West and Lamont Walker then went to Clothes Mentor to try to sell the bag again.
That is where Hannah Benz stepped in. Benz alerted police after the attempted sale at Clothes Mentor, and officers arrested Walker and West when they came back the next day at their appointed time. Benz said she knew immediately the bag had come from somewhere else and wanted it returned to its rightful home. She said the store did not want to profit from stolen goods, and she praised the help she received from other local resale businesses.
YINOVE LUXE is a luxury resale boutique, and the case has drawn attention from nearby merchants who said they were willing to watch for the stolen merchandise after the burglary. Zou said he was touched by messages and calls from local businesses offering help. He also said he was still working with the insurance company to finalize the total loss.
The arrests closed the loop on a theft that was over in seconds but left a wider trail through the local resale market. The main question now is not who took the bags — police have arrested two men — but how many of the stolen items can still be tracked down and returned.
