In 2024, about a dozen thefts were reported in downtown Kent. To combat this number, business owners began posting their security camera footage of thefts in action on their social media.
Sun In Leo has experienced about six thefts per year, and owner Justine Gallo noticed posting the security camera footage, with the comedic TikTok sounds and circling the stolen item in a red circle, has caused the thieves to return stolen merchandise.
“We find that public shaming is the most workable solution or the most efficient solution so far because nobody wants to be bashed for doing something wrong,” Gallo said. “But ‘Hey, you stole, so you got to take accountability.’”
(@shopsuninleo)The process behind making the customized jewelry pieces sold at her store, which are made from thrifted jewelry, takes Gallo 30 minutes to an hour.
Gallo used a rare ‘80s pendant to create a necklace, and when that necklace was stolen, she decided to post the security camera footage on Instagram with hopes of finding the thief and her stolen necklace.
“Like when I found those pieces, that’s like a good piece to find, so that’s going to be a higher price point because I don’t have those charms all the time,” she said.
After Sun in Leo posted the security footage of the necklace being stolen, Gallo said the woman who stole it came back to the store, put the necklace in a bin and told Gallo that she did not steal the necklace.
“Then we went back on the camera, watched her come back in and put it in the basket like we saw you again put it in the basket. You’re just lying again, it’s craziness,” Gallo said.
Several stolen items, like the necklace, have been returned to Gallo because of these Instagram posts.
After the stolen items are returned and the thieves pay for the item they stole, Gallo removes the videos from Instagram.
“If you’re not going to come back and own up to it, your face will be forever swirling around on our Instagram,” she said.
Instagram users have responded positively to these posts with messages about potential suspects and how to contact them, Gallo said.
“It’s great when [the thief] is a local person, because a lot of people who do follow me recognize them and they’ll send me their profiles,” she said.
From there, Gallo will confirm with other individuals who sent her similar profiles. After receiving confirmation about the identities, she contacts other downtown businesses about these thieves to pay close attention to their behavior in the future.
“You’re not just stealing from me, you’re stealing from this whole community,” she said.
The responses to these posts gave Kelsi Biondo, operations manager of Branded in Kent, the idea to start posting her store’s security footage; however, the responses differ from the ones Sun in Leo received.
In the Branded In Kent security footage posted, a man enters the dressing room with a few clothes and hangers, but leaves the dressing room with two hangers for one shirt.
The first video posted by Branded in Kent pertaining to this theft used the same security camera footage preventing viewers from noticing the change in the numbers of hangers and clothes, which caused commenters to defend the man, Biondo said.
“People are like, ‘It looks like he has the same amount of items,’ and I’m like okay there’s obviously more to the video, we are more aware of what happened than you are,” she said.
From this theft, Biondo said a police report was filed for the stolen items, but has not received an update on the case.
“They probably saw [the video], and won’t come back, which at the end of the day, that’s the main thing that I want,” she said.
Mike Lewis, administrative lieutenant at the Kent police department, said filing a police report does not always ensure the return of items.
“Although it’s not always going to be productive or fruitful to file a police report, it’s still a good idea to do so because it, at least, makes us aware that there is a problem going on,” he said.
Lewis said posting these videos can be a good deterrent for thefts; however, advises making individuals aware they will be recorded, which both stores do.
Gallo and Biondo said stealing is not necessary as people can approach them, if they are having money problems. The two stores offer less expensive shopping options, for example Sun In Leo hosts free clothing swaps.
“If you come to us and you genuinely need clothes, we can help you out,” Biondo said.