$43K worth of cellphones stolen from East Texas store

TYLER, Texas (AP) - Police are seeking five suspects after a mattress was used to conceal the theft of $43,000 worth of new cellphones from an East Texas Sam’s Club.

Tyler police Officer Don Martin said Friday that 73 cellphones were stolen from a locked shelf storage unit. Officers are seeking a man and four women over last weekend’s theft.

Investigators say the thieves on Sunday loaded a mattress and additional merchandise on a flat cart to shield them from workers and other shoppers. Martin, in a statement , said the suspects cut the lock off the unit, then the women stuffed the cellphones inside compartments of their clothing and walked out.

Security video shows the suspects fleeing in a dark SUV.