‘Thong Thief’ accused of swiping items worth $14K from West Valley Victoria’s Secret stores

PHOENIX — A woman authorities have called the “Thong Thief” was arrested recently in connection with multiple thefts from West Valley Victoria’s Secret stores.

Leticia Martinez Perez is accused of shoplifting underwear and other items worth $14,207.20 over eight incidents from Nov. 29, 2023, to March 20 of this year.

In the last heist, Perez and an accomplice allegedly made off with $8,775 in products from the lingerie shop at Arrowhead Towne Center in Glendale.

The other seven thefts were at the Victoria’s Secret at Desert Sky Mall in west Phoenix.

What happens to someone who steals $14K worth of women’s underwear? They get busted by GPD detectives! Leticia Martinez Perez, the “Thong Thief” committed a total of 8 shopliftings from Victoria’s Secret. She admitted to selling them for profit. No more panty proceeds for her. pic.twitter.com/akFgrVkq7z

— Glendale Police (@GlendaleAZPD) May 30, 2024

Why did so-called ‘Thong Thief’ steal from Victoria’s Secret?

According to court documents, Perez, who is unhoused, said she shoplifted in order to sell the items so she could buy drugs and pay for a motel room.

“Often times, individuals on the street would ask her to shoplift specific items and she would make an effort to steal those items,” the probable cause statement for her arrest says.

The Glendale Police Department, which coined the term “Thong Thief” for the case, worked with Victoria’s Secret loss prevention personnel and used surveillance video and images to identify Perez as a suspect.

Detectives located and arrested Perez near 83rd Avenue and McDowell Road on May 15. She was in possession of a crystalline substance that tests showed to be methamphetamine at the time, according to the arrest report.

She was booked into jail on organized retail theft and drug charges.

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