2 west Michigan women charged among rash of Ulta store heists surge across the country

2 Michigan women accused among rash of Ulta thefts around country

Tiara Judge and Jasmine Phillips, both of west Michigan, have been charged in an Ulta store heist in Royal Oak on December 23rd.

FOX 2 (WJBK) - Several Metro Detroit police departments are closing in on what’s being called a multi-jurisdictional retail fraud ring. It has been ripping off numerous Ulta Beauty stores like the one on the 27000 block of Woodward in Royal Oak.

The scene say investigators, looks a lot like the crew in action captured on surveillance video robbing an Ulta outside of Philadelphia. The brazen crimes have shocked fans of the beauty chain.

"It’s extremely disappointing that it’s come to the point where you can’t even go to your local beauty store to pick up something," said shopper Kim Soroka.

Tiara Judge and Jasmine Phillips, both of west Michigan, have been charged in an Ulta store heist in Royal Oak on December 23rd.

They are accused of filling shopping baskets with pricey fragrances and making a run for it, according to Royal Oak police - which coordinated with cops in Shelby Township due to the suspects being spotted at an Ulta store there.

"They don’t care about their lives," Soroka said. "They don’t care about the other lives that they put at risk, obviously. "

Warren police put pressure on the perfume pirates as well after cops say an Ulta was cleaned out there.

"We’ve identified some suspects in the case," said Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer. "It’s active right now and I believe that in the very near future we will be making several arrests of the persons responsible."

FOX 2 sources say as many as 15 cities across the state have had Ulta locations hit by the ring…which numbers up to a dozen alleged participants.

"Normally it’s a group of three or more that enter the targeted store," Dwyer said. "They move very quickly and they go to the most expensive merchandise they see, they swoop it up very quickly and they leave."

Just outside Philadelphia, three women were arrested after police say they stole from several Ulta shops and other retailers out that way.

They’re allegedly seen in this surveillance video stocking baskets with thousands of dollars in fragrances.

Warren police expects warrants to be released on Friday.