Recently, Blue Spruce Mercantile, a family-owned business in Colorado Springs, experienced two instances of theft within a week of each other. The incidents resulted in the loss of over a thousand dollars worth of merchandise, leaving the owners feeling frustrated and vulnerable. One of the owners shared that the thieves had even taken carts full of items right before closing time, adding to their distress.
Surveillance footage from May 2 showed a woman walking out of the store with items she hadn’t paid for. The cashier expressed her disappointment, stating that it was particularly disheartening for a family-owned Christian business to be targeted in this way. A week later, on May 9th, the woman returned with accomplices, including two men who were also seen leaving the store with stolen goods.
Tareja Mitchem, the owner, stated that the thefts have been challenging for their small business, especially during difficult times. The total value of the stolen items was estimated at $1,400. Despite no arrests being made yet, both employees and owners remain hopeful that the suspects will be caught soon to prevent further incidents.
Colorado Springs Police are actively investigating the thefts and are encouraging anyone with information to contact them. The community is being urged to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
