'Panty Bandits' Raid Jersey City Mall

'Panty Bandits' Raid Jersey City Mall
Hit Victoria's Secret, Make Off With $15,000 Worth Of Loot

(CBS) JERSEY CITY Police throughout the Garden State are on the lookout for three panty-stealing bandits. So far, police say they've stolen thousands of dollars worth of lingerie. CBS 2 has learned more on how the thieves are covering their tracks.

Victoria's Secret models show them off during their hot and steamy fashion shows -- sexy bras costing up to $50 a piece and panties that go for over $10 each.

Police said the undergarments have become a popular target for thieves.

Just this week a group of bandits hit the Victoria's Secret inside the Newport Mall in Jersey City, stealing almost $15,000 worth of bras and panties right out of rollout drawers.

"Fifteen thousand dollars, God they must look good under their clothes," shopper Loretta Hardy said. "When did they know that was missing? I mean that's a lot of merchandise."

Police said the bandits planned their raid carefully, using aluminum foil to line the bags they put the bras and panties in. It's no secret; it's a tactic thieves use to prevent the sensors in anti-theft systems from going off.

"The male and female walk in," said Det. Mark Inzinna of the Jersey City Police Department. "The male takes booster bag out, puts it on the floor and the female fills it up."

This as a third person distracted the cashier.

Police said this is the second time in three months thieves have hit this Victoria's Secret.

"They have very few staff members there and if they're being distracted they're not going to see it's a matter of a couple of minutes," Lt. Christine Petersen said.

Limited Brands, the company that owns Victoria's Secret, released the following statement:

"... We are aggressively working with local law enforcement authorities to address this incident and deter future such thefts."

That same day one of their other stores at Newport, Express, was also hit by thieves.

Police said there's a popular market for stolen merchandise. In most cases, they said thieves will set up shop and sell it to unsuspecting customers.