A father and son from Philadelphia have been cast into the harsh glare of the legal spotlight, facing a multitude of charges in what has unfolded as a saga of organized retail theft across the Pennsylvania region. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office has taken hold of the case, announcing the arrests of Donis Richards, 43, and his 21-year-old son Jamai Richards. According to 6abc, the Richards are believed to be part of the "5th Street Crew," a group tied to a series of heists from stores such as Dicks Sporting Goods and Lululemon in multiple counties.
Details regarding the nature of the thefts emerged, with the Attorney General's Office describing the crimes as organized “blitz-style thefts.” These incidents took place across Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, with the Richards allegedly targeting big retail names including Nike, Lululemon, Dick's Sporting Goods, Kohl’s, and Snipes. PHL17 reports that at a Snipes store in January, an incident reportedly turned violent, resulting in the physical assault of an employee.
Attorney General Dave Sunday took a firm stance on the severity of these crimes. “This group terrorized dozens of retailers and their employees with blitz-style thefts that put workers and customers in harm’s way. Retail theft is not a victimless crime, as we have seen bystanders harmed and companies forced to raise prices for consumers due to profit loss,” he is quoted as saying by MyChesCo.
As the curtain of justice unravels its folds, both Jamai and Donis Richards have been arraigned in Montgomery County, their bail set at $25,000. The report from PHL17 indicates that this figure has not yet been posted. Officials have also associated a blue Nissan Maxima with many of the thefts and are actively seeking additional information from the public regarding the 5th Street Crew or other similar activities.
