Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Police seek man who stole $1,000 worth of designer glasses
Police are looking for a man who stole designer sunglasses worth $1,000 from a business Wednesday.
The theft occurred at Ganly Vision Care on Bayard Road, near the CVS Pharmacy in East Marlborough. Video surveillance captured the theft.
Just minutes before the theft, the suspect was seen inside nearby Chester County Optical.
“The guy came in and asked what kind of insurance we took,” said Ken Ganly, who has operated the business with his wife for the past nine years. “He was acting like he was talking to someone on his cellphone, and then he goes and puts five pairs of glasses into his pocket and leaves. My staff saw it right away and walked out after him, but he got in his car and got away.”
The pilfered glasses are Ray-Bans. Designer sunglasses can easily cost well into the thousands, and the RayBan Original Wayfarer Classic has a pricetag of $160 to $200. They typically offer lenses with UV protection, and have polarized lenses, which are made in Italy. The materials used in Ray-Bans don’t peel or change their shape with wear and tear.
“I think he took Ray-Bans because they are easily re-sellable,” Ganly said. “They are $200 glasses, and you can get 30 or 40 bucks for them on the street.”
Ganley said there has been a rash of thefts from his store lately. A couple of weeks ago, he said, a man from Chadds Ford was picking up glasses up for his daughter when he took a pair of glasses from the rack and left. He was caught due to video surveillance.
Ganley said the $1,000 loss comes
from his pocket because his deductible on his insurance is $1,000.
“This is a family practice,” Ganley said. “We treat everyone like family. We are very welcoming. If people are going to be dishonest, what can you do about that?”
For now, Ganley is relying on his video surveillance. State police are continuing the investigation. If anyone recognizes the man, they are urged to call police at (610) 4866280.