KIRKLAND, Wash. — A Kirkland business owner is sounding the alarm over recent shoplifting incidents.
Lily Li, owner of Baby Shoppe, shared with KIRO 7 a video from December showing three women who went into her shop.
Li said two of them started talking about the other woman who appeared to be pregnant.
“They said ‘look at her belly’ – and I was like, ‘why do you have to tell me that?’ Normally, people don’t tell me ‘ohh, look at her big belly,’” said Li.
Li says the women tried distracting her with questions, as one of them went out the door with a $650 stroller.
“I just chased her,” said Li.
Li says she got the stroller back as the women ran off.
But last week, a man and woman went into the shop and the man starting peppering another employee with distracting questions.
That, after the woman he was with cut security tags off the same $650 stroller.
“She actually hid the security tags, so that’s when she walked out the door,” said Li, who didn’t notice the stroller was gone until a half hour later.
These shoplifting techniques may seem unusual, but they’re not new.
In 2024, KIRO 7 reported on a group of women confusing employees and using children to steal from stores in West Seattle.
Meanwhile, Li hopes someone will recognize the people seen in her videos.
“I have shared with all the neighbors here in downtown Kirkland. I hope I can help everybody to prevent this happening again,” said Li.
Kirkland PD is investigating and asks anyone with information to give them a call at 425-577-5656.