Ulta Shoplifters at it Again in Evans

Ulta at Mullins Crossing in Evans was the target of shoplifters earlier this month, and that's not the first time.

The Columbia County Sheriff's Office says just under $600 worth of merchandise was stolen from the store at 4217 Washington Road on June 6.

The Sheriff's Office is looking for 3 black females in connection with the crime and they're asking for help in identifying them.

The female wearing the gray shirt has been identified and has an active warrant through the Columbia County Sheriff's office for a previous shoplifting incident. The other two women have not been identified.

Contact Investigator Brown at (706) 541-1044 or Columbia County Sheriff's Office Dispatch at (706) 541-2800.

Just 4 months ago, the same Ulta store at Mullins Crossing in Evans was hit by shoplifters who got away with an estimated $15,000 worth of merchandise.

The Columbia County Sheriff's Office says two black females filled shopping bags with perfume and left the store without paying.

The same two women had reportedly stolen an undisclosed amount of merchandise from the Ulta store on Robert C. Daniel Jr. Parkway earlier that same day.

The National Retail Federation says small business retailers say their monthly losses from theft were between $500 and $2,500. To make up for those losses, most say they have increased their prices 64%, while 50% say they have installed security cameras.

Retail business owners with one to 20 employees were the most likely to experience theft on a daily bases, while businesses with up to 30 workers were the most likely to be targeted by thieves a few times a week.

Washington is the state hit hardest by retail crime, according to the NRF. Three of the five states least impacted by retail crime are in the South and include Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama.