Suffolk police are asking the public to help identify suspects behind a string of larcenies at ABC store locations across the city. Investigators say the thefts happened between June and September 2026, and that store surveillance cameras captured every single incident.
Police did not release the suspects' identities, descriptions, the number of people involved, the specific stores targeted, or a dollar value for what was taken, according to WAVY.com. Anyone with information about the suspects or the thefts is being urged to contact the Suffolk Police Department or the Suffolk Crime Line, the station reports.
A Pattern That Stretches Back to Early 2026
This is not the first time Suffolk police have put out a call for help with ABC store theft cases this year. Earlier reporting from the same station detailed a separate investigation in which officers sought the public's help identifying 20 suspects connected to 15 different larcenies between January and April, with that earlier report noting the stores had been hit more than 20 times in just four months.
It remains unclear whether the suspects behind the June-to-September larcenies are connected to those earlier cases, since no arrests, charges, or additional suspect details have been released for the more recent string of incidents.
Thefts Have Hit ABC Stores Statewide
The problem extends well beyond Suffolk. Virginia ABC operates more than 400 stores across the state, and the agency has rolled out additional security measures and safety protocols to try to curb theft, the earlier WAVY report noted. Still, more than 14,000 bottles of alcohol were stolen from Virginia ABC stores over a six-month span last year, amounting to more than $800,000 in losses, per the same account.
One Norfolk store alone was targeted at least 113 times during that same six-month window, racking up roughly $15,000 in stolen alcohol, the station reported. Similar thefts have surfaced elsewhere in the state; in 2024, the Fairfax County Police Department said detectives were seeking the community's help identifying additional suspects responsible for stealing upwards of $60,000 worth of alcohol from ABC stores there.
How to Help
For now, Suffolk investigators are leaning on the public and the city's surveillance footage to move the case forward. Residents with tips about the suspects or the larcenies are encouraged to reach out to the Suffolk Police Department or the Suffolk Crime Line.
