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Vacuum Theft Suspect Targeting Target

NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA) — Police are looking to vacuum up a vacuum thief.

As CBSLA's Jeff Nguyen reports, the suspect has been targeting Target stores across the Southland -- picking up high-end vacuums and walking right out the door.

The LAPD says he's roughly 25 to 30 years old, about five foot ten and 180 pounds. He has a shaved head and in most of the crimes he's seen wearing glasses and a goatee. In several of the cases, he wore a green Marines sweatshirt.

Police say he's hit about 30 Target stores in the past year.

"Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura County as far south as Rancho Cucamonga," said LAPD Det. Joseph Hampton. "We also had a hits in Upland, Santa Clarita, Westlake Village."

Detectives say he lifted Dyson vacuums, iRobots vacuums and Nest brand products like the thermostats that go for about 200 bucks.

On the Target website, Dyson vacuums are priced between $300 and $600.

"I mean that's a very expensive vacuum," said shopper Kayla Burd.

He always leaves the stores through the fire exits, even though they're hooked up to alarms.

By the time loss prevention gets there, he's gone.

Police say he's able to make a quick getaway with his Cadillac SRX, which doesn't have license plates in the front or back.

It's typically parked by the fire door or a major street like the one outside the North Hollywood Target.

"I guess we're pretty close to the 5 [Freeway] so if you get out there, you can jump on the freeway pretty quick," said shopper Danny Arriola.

Police believe the man made money off the stolen vacuums by selling them online. They say in the past year he's made off with about $25,000 worth of goods from the Target stores.

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