Riga, Feb 14 (LETA) - Five persons from Lithuania have been detained in Liepaja for theft of goods worth more than EUR 1,000, Madara Sersnova, Senior Specialist of the Public Relations Division of the State Police, told LETA.

On Sunday, February 9, at around 20.00, the State Police received information that a woman was detained by security guards in a shopping center in Liepaja on suspicion of shoplifting. State Police officers in turn detained the other four persons involved in the theft.

The investigation established that all five persons came to Liepaja from Lithuania with the aim of shoplifting. At the first outlet, they successfully carried out their intention by putting various goods, mainly alcohol, cosmetics and other items, in their bags, after which they left the shop unnoticed and went to the second outlet.

This time, three of the five persons went inside the shop and, also unnoticed by anyone, stole goods worth around EUR 170.

As the persons had been so successful in the first outlet, they decided to go back and continue shoplifting, but this time the woman was detained by the security guard of the outlet, who then informed the police that the others had escaped.

The police found the Mazda car in which the Lithuanians were travelling and they were also detained. The initial, currently known, material damage caused by the thefts at this outlet exceeds EUR 1,000.

The detainees also admitted that they had also stolen from the same outlets at the end of January.

The detainees are cooperating with the investigation and one of them, a minor, was already in police custody last year for shoplifting in Liepaja.

State Police officers are continuing the investigation into the theft and all persons have been remanded in custody.