DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM — The owner of Lil' Rascals in Downtown Birmingham, Serena Chammout, is asking for the public's help identifying a woman who she says stole $550 worth of merchandise from her children apparel store.
Chammout told us the suspect came into her store at 4:55 p.m. on Friday and left at 5:12 p.m. She describes the woman as being around her 40's.
"She came in and said ‘I love this store so much’ she’s been in this store numerous times," said Chammout.
Chammout said her store associate working at the time felt odd about the interaction and looked over their surveillance video after the woman left.
"She stole 5 different times throughout the store," said Chammout. "My girl was trying to find this stuff so as she was distracting her looking to pull some stuff for her, she turned her back to the camera and she was just basically putting stuff inside her bag."
The moments that Chammout is referring to are shown in the video above, she said the merchandise stolen is made for a boy about 1-year-old and a girl about 6-to-7-years-old.
Financially Chammout mentioned that as small businesses attempt to bounce back from the pandemic, "Not me or anyone can afford a loss like this."
However, beyond just the financial loss, she also reached out because she wants to make sure this doesn't happen to any other small family run boutiques.
There are many along the strip where her store sits on Old Woodward.
A report has been filed with the Birmingham Police Department and if you know anything you're asked to reach out to them.
"I don’t want her doing this to the next small business owner, it hurts," said Chammout. "You feel violated, it’s just disgusting. Ask me for something and I’ll give it to you, but don’t steal from me."
