A shoplifter at a Bluffton outlet patiently waited for a cashier to do this, then ran

The man waited for her to remove the anti-theft sensors, according to an employee at the Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, before he “ran out the front door” with an armful of fleece and other garments.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the alleged shoplifting, which occurred around 8:30 a.m. Monday morning at Tanger Outlets 1 in Bluffton, according to a police report.

The suspected thief — whom the report described as a black male, possibly in his 30s, with short hair and no facial hair — made off with $740.88 worth of clothing.

Store surveillance video showed an overhead view of the man at the register, but skipped and failed to show the alleged theft the employee described, according to the deputy’s report. The store will provide another video to the Sheriff’s Office, the report said.

The most valuable items taken were four “Bear Polos,” valued at $79.00 each, according to the report.

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 3:33 PM with the headline "A shoplifter at a Bluffton outlet patiently waited for a cashier to do this, then ran."