Thieves hit North Fresno clothing store 4 times in 3 weeks

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- An employee at a North Fresno clothing store was assaulted during a recent robbery that was caught on camera, and it's not the first time the business has been targeted by thieves.

Envy Fine Clothing has only been open for three weeks, and they've had four different incidents of theft. One of those crimes even turned into a felony robbery case.

Sabrina Lopez, who is seen on surveillance video wearing a white shirt, says she was the only sales associate working last Saturday when two women in their 20s came into Envy Fine Clothing. Right on camera, one of the women is seen bolting for the door with hundreds of dollars in designer jeans just moments before Lopez says the two suspects attacked her outside.

"I tried to hit the jeans out of her hand, and she came after me and was calling me curse words and scratching at me and she swung at me, and I was just terrified because I've never had anything like that happen in my life," said Lopez.

It was the first time Lopez says she was attacked, but it's the fourth time she's dealt with thieves in the past three weeks at their store. And Envy Fine Clothing chain owner Scott Dover says while the suspects aren't the same people, all the crimes could be connected.

"From what we've heard it sounds like there's a large group of girls that are committing these crimes, and they're all related to one another," said Dover.

The two suspects jumped into a car after leaving the store. It's a getaway method Lopez says happens after every theft. The items targeted almost every time are designer jeans.

"Our jeans run anywhere from $198 up to $400, so if they could get a pair they could easily sell it on Craigslist for half if not three-quarters of the price," said Lopez.

Dover, who's also in law enforcement, has beefed up their security in all five stores he owns in the Valley. He says the employees are being trained on how to properly deal with criminals.

"It doesn't matter how they're dressed or what their behavior might be; as soon as you corner them and they're in a position where they might be caught, could face consequences, that's when they react violently," said Dover.

But Dover's hope is that the suspects will be arrested before the alleged group strikes again.

Anyone who recognizes any of the suspects in the surveillance video is urged to contact police.