By Matthew Hersh
Four masked suspects broke into Princeton Bag Archive at 38 Witherspoon Street in the early morning on Tuesday, September 1, stealing 75 designer handbags valued by the store at more than $250,000, according to the Princeton Police Department and the business.
The suspects broke through the store’s front glass door at approximately 1:30 a.m. and entered the business, according to Princeton Bag Archive’s social media posts. Police responded to the store at 1:51 a.m. after an activated commercial burglar alarm.
The suspects shattered and removed the front glass door before stealing the handbags and fleeing, police said. They were inside the business for approximately one minute.
The stolen merchandise included Birkin and Kelly bags, as well as rare Chanel pieces, according to Princeton Bag Archive. The store said the bags had been carefully selected and that the stolen merchandise had a total estimated value of more than $250,000.
No injuries have been reported, nor have suspects have been identified, and the investigation remains ongoing, according to Capt. Thomas Lagomarsino of the Princeton Police Department.
The burglary is unusual for Princeton, Lagomarsino added. While retail theft is common in town, forced-entry commercial burglaries in the middle of the night are not typical, he said.
“While we have had similar incidents such as this, it has been a couple of years,” Lagomarsino said.
Police are working with other law enforcement agencies in an effort to identify the suspects and determine whether they may be connected to other incidents. Lagomarsino said the department will release additional information if suspects are identified and charged.
Lagomarsino said police have no reason to believe the group had prior knowledge of the store, despite the speed with which the burglary was carried out.
He added that, because the investigation remains active, there is limited information the department can provide.
Police are not releasing their own estimate of the value of the stolen merchandise. The department’s incident report identified the stolen property as 75 designer handbags.
Princeton Bag Archive posted on social media that the burglary has been both a significant financial loss and an interruption for a relatively new business in town.
“We never imagined we’d have to share something like this,” the store said in an Instagram post.
The store said that “in just minutes, an entire wall of bags was taken.” But the owners said the loss went beyond the merchandise.
“What hurts most isn’t only the loss,” the store said. “This little store was built with so much care, filled with things we truly loved. Seeing it treated this way has been heartbreaking and incredibly shocking for all of us.”
The business is now replacing the damaged glass and taking additional steps to secure the store. Princeton Bag Archive said it will likely remain closed for one to two weeks while repairs are completed.
The store thanked customers and others who have offered support following the burglary, saying that their kindness “means more to us right now than you know.”
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to contact the Princeton Police Department at (609) 921-2100.