Chicago woman charged in Lululemon theft case involving $100K in stolen goods

By Will Hager
Published August 10, 2026 9:39 AM CDT

Roise Spencer | Cook County Sheriff's Office

The Brief

    • A 42-year-old woman is charged with stealing more than $10,000 in merchandise as part of an organized retail theft investigation.
    • Investigators say Roise Spencer was linked to a crew that recruited unhoused people to steal from retailers and return the merchandise for store credit.
    • Authorities recovered tens of thousands of dollars in suspected stolen goods from storage units, and the investigation into others involved remains ongoing.

CHICAGO - A Chicago woman has been charged after investigators linked her to an organized theft crew accused of stealing more than $100,000 in merchandise from retailers across the area.

Lululemon theft

The backstory:

On Aug. 4, Lululemon employees and Cook County sheriff’s police investigators allegedly saw Spencer make a fraudulent return at a store located at 930 N. Rush St. Investigators said she returned stolen merchandise for store credit before leaving in a black Jeep. Police stopped the vehicle near Chestnut Street and Wabash Avenue and took Roise Spencer into custody after discovering she had an active warrant related to a separate drug possession and theft case.

The investigation into Spencer also led authorities to a storage unit she rents in the 1000 block of West 111th Street. Investigators said the unit was part of a broader investigation involving a crew that allegedly gave homeless people money, narcotics or clothing in exchange for stealing merchandise from Lululemon and other retailers.

According to investigators, the crew operated throughout northeastern Illinois and would return the stolen merchandise to retailers in exchange for store credit.

Spencer's storage unit was among several targeted during search warrants executed by investigators in April. Authorities said tens of thousands of dollars worth of stolen merchandise were recovered from the units.

Spencer was charged with the theft of more than $10,000. She was also processed on an outstanding warrant.

Spencer was ordered released from custody on the theft charge following her Aug. 5 court appearance. She remains in Cook County Jail custody on a separate case.

The Source: The information in this report came from the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

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