Couple caught on camera stealing from Midwest City business

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (KFOR) — A local business said a couple used their baby to distract workers as they helped themselves to thousands of dollars in jewelry.

Brooke Roesler is the owner of MJ's of Oddities and More in Midwest City.

"It's very hard and it's a very big punch to the gut," said Roesler. "They were in here with their baby, with their little, tiny baby. Let me hold her. Let me play with her and that's how they got me."

Roesler said the couple walked from a laundry mat across the street and wanted to look inside her store.

She said they were there for around an hour before leaving.

"I noticed a very expensive jewelry missing and that's when I realized stuff was missing," said Roesler. "They got thousands of dollars because the jewelry that they stole was extremely expensive and they got a couple of hundred dollars from each almost every vendor booth that had something small, that they could put in their pockets."

Security video shows the couple holding their baby as they walk through the store.

"He went back over and over and over again and stole things from the store," said Roesler. "It makes me very angry that they endangered that child. They don't know who I am. Yes, I love children, but if I would have caught them in the act, there's no telling what could have happened."

Roesler said her store has only been open for a few short months, so this is a major hit to her small business.

She was able to find the couple through help on social media.

"They actually showed back up, yesterday was a bag of stuff and it wasn't stuff from my store," said Roesler. "Now that they are actually threatening my family, I have to carry a gun."

Roesler now has a message to other local business owners.

"Watch out. Keep an eye out. Don't be fooled by when a couple comes in with a child and lose your guard. Watch them and keep an eye out for these two," said Roesler.

The Midwest City Police Department told News 4 this investigation is ongoing.