Upper East Side Thrift Shop
Another small business in the neighborhood has fallen victim to theft. Upper East Side Thrift Shop (1670 First Avenue, between 87th and 88th streets), which opened in May of this year, reported a shoplifting incident via Instagram this week. The theft took place inside the store on Monday, November 27 and was caught by security cameras.
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The thief appears female and is wearing a black sweater that says “Je ne sai quoi” in white lettering, with the hood pulled up under a black bucket hat. In the video posted by the store, the person can clearly be seen taking items from a jewelry tray on the counter and putting them in the pocket of her sweater.
George Khodzhayev, who owns the store with his wife, Anastasia Akodis, told East Side Feed that the shop lifter made off with several jewelry items, all silver, including rings, earrings, and chains. They were all items that the store stocks, rather than donations. A police report has not been filed.
George said it isn’t about the money, but that he wants to send out the alert, “so it doesn’t happen to other businesses.” He shared that he generally doesn’t worry about shop lifting and will let those who seem in need take items that might help. Upper East Side Thrift Store is a non-profit, accepting item donations and sending the proceeds to children in Ukraine.
If you recognize the person in the photo, you can contact the store via phone at (212) 951-0459 or send them a direct message through their Instagram account. They are offering a $300 store credit as a reward for identifying the suspect.
Why not file a police report?
Thief is pretty slick, obviously practiced. But I agree with others who question 1) why sterling silver jewelry is displayed like junk; 2) why a staff person who is so careless and would rather be on her phone is working there! Also, Is there a charity associated with this thrift store or is it a strictly private for-profit operation? If private, why not donate to Housing Works, Goodwill, or a church so the proceeds of your stuff do some good in the world for people who truly need help?
Always wear “distinctive” clothing when committing crime.