A man walked out of an Ulta Beauty store in the 28700 block of Northwest Freeway on Wednesday with roughly $1,392 worth of fragrances and never stopped at the register, according to Harris County Constable Precinct 4. Now deputies want help putting a name to his face, describing him as a Black male wearing a dark blue Dallas Cowboys hat, large white-framed sunglasses, a white tank top and black Nike pants.
According to Mark Herman, Harris County Constable Precinct 4, deputies responded to the theft after the unidentified man allegedly selected and stole numerous fragrance items without attempting to pay. The office is tracking the case under number HC2610-02765 and is asking anyone with information to contact dispatch or local law enforcement.
Not the First Time This Ulta Has Been Targeted
This is not the first time this particular Ulta location has made headlines for theft. Back on August 30, two female suspects allegedly walked out of the same store without paying for merchandise valued at approximately $3,936, according to a report from Hoodline. That same report noted the store had previously been hit in January 2025 for an estimated $2,500 to $3,000 in merchandise, in October 2025 for a theft exceeding $1,000, and again in May 2026 for a fragrance theft, though the evidence does not establish whether Wednesday's incident is connected to any of those earlier cases.
The outlet also reported that Precinct 4 investigated a regional theft ring in November 2025 linked to at least 10 Ulta thefts across the Houston area totaling more than $38,000 in stolen cosmetics. Again, nothing in the available evidence ties that investigation to the suspect deputies are now seeking.
Fragrance Theft Fits a Wider Pattern Across Harris County
Perfume counters have become a recurring target for Harris County retail theft more broadly. Authorities previously sought two suspects accused of shoplifting more than $4,000 worth of Dior cosmetics from an Ulta store in the county, per FOX 26 Houston. In a separate case the station covered, two female suspects were seen on camera stealing perfume gift boxes and makeup items totaling $625.99 from an Ulta in the 19500 block of the North Freeway.
The broader numbers paint a stark picture for the region. Harris County has recorded more than 2,300 incidents related to retail theft since May 2024, and the National Retail Federation ranked Houston fourth in the nation for most retail thefts in 2024, according to KHOU. That station also reported that shoplifting incidents nationwide have surged 93 percent since 2019, with a 90 percent increase in financial losses. During the first two weeks of a crackdown known as Operation Blitz, Harris County deputies arrested 12 people and recovered more than $4,000 in stolen merchandise, the station noted.
Stolen Perfume Often Resold Online, Police Elsewhere Say
The pattern of fragrance theft at Ulta stores is not unique to Harris County. Police investigating a suspected theft group operating across multiple Ulta locations from Lakewood to Broomfield told KDVR that the stolen items often end up for resale on Facebook Marketplace and eBay. That same report found Lakewood police had logged 18 thefts from area Ulta stores since 2023, totaling more than $28,000 in losses.
For now, the Cypress case remains open, with deputies hoping someone recognizes the man in the Cowboys hat and white-framed sunglasses. Anyone with information on case HC2610-02765 is asked to reach out to dispatch or local law enforcement.
