A man and woman walked into the JCPenney at the Mall of New Hampshire together, spent time near the jewelry counter, and then walked back out — and now Manchester Police say they need the public's help figuring out who the pair are. Investigators have released physical descriptions of both individuals but have not named any suspects as the case remains open.
According to Newport Dispatch, the two entered the department store together and were seen in the jewelry department before leaving. Manchester Police reported the pair's activity inside the store and are now asking anyone who can identify either person to come forward. The store sits inside the Mall of New Hampshire at 1500 South Willow Street, where JCPenney operates as one of six anchor tenants in the 798,881-square-foot retail complex, according to Wikipedia.
What Investigators Say the Pair Looked Like
Police described the woman as middle-aged, wearing dark blue jeans, a t-shirt, and slides. The man, also described as middle-aged, wore white shorts, a white t-shirt, and slides, and was noted as walking with a slight limp — a detail that could help anyone who may have crossed paths with him at the mall that day.
Manchester Police can be reached at 603-668-8711 for anyone with information that could help identify either person. Members of the public can also submit anonymous tips through the Manchester Crimeline, according to the Manchester Police Department.
Why the Dollar Amount Matters
What hasn't been disclosed is the value of whatever was taken from the jewelry department, a detail that carries real legal weight in New Hampshire. Under state law, theft of goods worth $1,500 or more is charged as a Class A felony carrying up to 15 years in prison, while theft under $1,000 is treated as a Class A misdemeanor, per Russman Law. If either person turns out to have two or more shoplifting convictions within the past 36 months, the charge would automatically escalate to a Class B felony regardless of the item's value, the same source notes.
A Familiar Target for Local Jewelry Thieves
This isn't the first time a Manchester jewelry counter has drawn police attention. Hoodline previously reported on a repeat offender's arrest tied to a burglary at Market Square Jewelers last August, showing local police have handled commercial jewelry theft cases before. Nationally, jewelry counters inside department stores remain attractive targets — the Jewelers' Security Alliance has tracked incidents including an April 2026 burglary at a Staten Island JCPenney where thieves made off with $250,000 worth of merchandise.
Department stores like JCPenney typically rely on Asset Protection Associates who monitor floors and closed-circuit cameras and log evidence for police, according to a JCPenney job listing describing the role. Those internal procedures are often what generates the kind of detailed physical descriptions police released in this case. Broader retail industry data from the National Retail Federation shows shrink from external theft and organized retail crime remains a persistent drag on store inventories nationwide, averaging 1.6% of total sales in fiscal year 2022.
The Mall of New Hampshire, which opened in 1977 as the state's first large-scale shopping center, still draws shoppers from across southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts, per Wikipedia. It's one of several commercial properties in Manchester where police have recently sought the public's help identifying suspects, following incidents at a local convenience store and at Hillsborough Market earlier this year. Anyone with information about the JCPenney case is asked to contact Manchester Police at 603-668-8711 or submit an anonymous tip through the Manchester Crimeline at 603-624-4040.
