Police search for crew of three violent shoplifters who hit high-end stores in King, Pierce counties

SEATTLE -- Police say three women shoplifters most recently hit the Eileen Fisher store at 5th and Pine in downtown Seattle.

When store employees tried to stop them from taking $2,600 worth of clothing, things went from bad to worse.

"The suspect with the clothing kicks the clerk in the groin, smacks her in the head, tries to pull her clothing off of her and another employee steps in and she also gets smacked by one of the suspects,” Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound Executive Director Myrle Carner said.

"I think it's crazy. To beat someone up after you're stealing from their store. You already know that you're wrong,” shopper Ashaunti Martin-Smith said.



Police have already identified two of the three suspects, who they identified as Precious Shabazz and Valerie Heard, but they still need to know who the third woman is dressed in all black.

Police say they target high-end shops in King and Pierce counties and are known to drive a 1999 Mercedes Benz ML320with Washington license plate AKX-6977.

If you think this kind of crime doesn't affect you, police say, think again.

"We all pay for that and the reason is simple -- when people steal high-end items what they're going to do is mark everything up and you and I pay for the difference because of shoplifting,” Carner said.

Police want you to identify the third woman and they want to find all three.

If you know them and where they can be found, call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.