Thief who eyes high-end items at Target sought in series of SoCal crimes

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Los Angeles police are searching for a brazen thief with a bullseye on Target.

Investigators said the shady shopper struck more than 30 times since last year all across Southern California. He always goes to a Target and always focuses on the same high-end, high-demand items.

"Walking through the store, you'd have no idea he's about to steal anything. It just looks like a normal customer putting items in his cart. It's not until he gets to the rear door and he's out of the store within seconds," LAPD Detective Joseph Hampton said.

Dyson vacuum cleaners appear to be one of the suspect's favorite items, as well as iRobot vacuums and nest products. Most of the items retail for hundreds of dollars.

Detectives believe the man is a former military member as he is often seen wearing a U.S. Marines sweatshirt during the crimes.

"In one of the incidents, one of the Target loss prevention overheard him talking about how he was recently discharged from the Marine Corps, so he may have just recently left the military," Hampton said.

The suspect is described as being between 25 and 30 years old, around 5 foot 7 to 5 foot 10 and 180 pounds. He wears glasses and has a goatee.

In every case, he loads up what he can carry and heads straight for the fire exit in the rear of the store, slipping out before security arrives because of the alarm.

An accomplice outside waits in the getaway vehicle, which is described as a newer model black Cadillac SRX with no plates.

Authorities hope the public can help catch the slippery suspect before he takes aim at another Target.

Anyone with more information is urged to call the LAPD or Crime Stoppers.