California Store Owner Gets Back at Shoplifter by Selling Shirts with Sketch of the 'Bald, Mustachioed Thief'

The owner of a California clothing store turned a theft into a retail opportunity by launching a collection featuring a cartoonish sketch of the shoplifter.

Surveillance footage from Dec. 28, 2023, captured a bald, mustachioed man stealing items from Vardagen, a Venice boutique. Instead of pressing charges, store owner Jared Ingold debuted the "Wanted" collection, featuring the caricatured image of the thief on shirts, hoodies, and more.

"We're not trying to attack anyone," Ingold told KTLA. "It's more just commentary — an artistic take about what goes on."

The bold design has resonated with customers, who have eagerly bought the merchandise since its launch.

Ingold said the man has been spotted around Venice but has no plans to press charges.

"Being a small business owner...it's just ups and downs and things you deal with," Ingold said.