Saturday shopping at a Henderson Costco turned chaotic when a suspected shoplifter unleashed mace inside the crowded warehouse, sending customers and workers scrambling for the exits.
Police say the person tried to steal a laptop at the St. Rose Parkway store, sprayed an employee while taking off, and left several shoppers feeling the effects of the chemical irritant. The store later returned to normal operations, and officials reported no injuries.
Police Response And Ongoing Search
Henderson police say officers were called to the Costco at 3411 St. Rose Parkway just before 2 p.m. Saturday and are still searching for the suspect. As reported by FOX5, officers were dispatched after an attempted laptop theft and the reported mace attack on an employee.
Shoppers Describe A Hazy Exit
Videos from inside the warehouse show employees guiding people toward the doors while some shoppers pull shirts over their faces, according to News 3 Las Vegas. One regular member, Euni Sanchez, told News 3 Las Vegas she was “pretty shocked” and said she rarely sees crime in the neighborhood. The station reports the store later resumed its usual weekend bustle.
Retail Theft Pressure Across The Valley
The incident lands in the middle of a broader fight over retail theft in the Las Vegas Valley, where lawmakers and big-box retailers have been wrestling over how hard to crack down while police test new tactics to target organized shoplifting rings. The Las Vegas Review-Journal recently detailed legislative debates over changing the felony theft threshold, and lightning-fast specialty store theft has been cited as one example of the high-speed, high-value hits that have retailers on edge.
Henderson Police say the investigation into the Costco incident is ongoing and that officers are following up on leads, according to FOX5. Anyone with information is urged to contact Henderson Police as the search for the suspect continues.
