Police seek tips after Target theft at South Setauket store

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and officers from the Sixth Precinct Crime Section circulated a photo this week seeking public assistance after a theft at the Target store at 265 Pond Path in South Setauket. The incident occurred on Dec. 29, 2025, at about 10:30 p.m., when a woman is suspected of removing health products from the store without payment.

Law enforcement released the image to aid identification and urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. Tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-220-TIPS or through the P3Tips app or website. Authorities say a reward is available for information that leads to an arrest.

For shoppers and residents in the immediate area, the case underscores ongoing concerns about retail shrink and its local ripple effects. When stores experience theft, managers commonly respond by increasing security, adjusting staffing patterns, or changing stocking practices to protect high-value or frequently targeted items. Those adjustments can create longer checkout lines, fewer staff on the floor during off-peak hours, and a higher visible security presence, all of which alter the customer experience at neighborhood stores.

Beyond store-level consequences, repeated incidents can influence commercial decisions that matter to Suffolk County taxpayers. Retail losses factor into pricing, wages for frontline employees, and decisions about store hours or the viability of smaller-format locations. For communities like South Setauket that rely on accessible local retail, those pressures can change daily convenience and, over time, reshape retail landscapes near residential corridors and commuter routes.

From a policing standpoint, partnerships between precinct crime sections and Crime Stoppers are a standard investigative tool for property crime. Public tips often provide leads that streamline investigations and reduce the time resources must be tied to reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing store personnel. Residents who drive past Pond Path or who were in the area that evening may want to review personal dashcam or phone footage and report any relevant information.

The immediate priority is identification and arrest; the broader issue is how to keep local retail safe without turning stores into fortress-like environments. Our two cents? If you were near the Target on Dec. 29 or recognize the person in the circulated photo, call 1-800-220-TIPS or submit a report through the P3Tips app or website—your tip could close this case and help protect the shopping options we all rely on.