Flash mob robberies explained
Five people stormed a Nordstrom store in Southern California on the eve of Thanksgiving and fled with some luxury purses, latest incident in a chain of theft and organized robberies targeting luxury stores.
Los Angeles Police said a security guard was sprayed with a stimulant intended to stop the charging bears, and the stolen bags were estimated at $25,000, local media reported.
Just a few days ago, about 20 people stole goods worth about 5,000 USD from a Nordstrom store in Los Angeles on Monday night, police said, calling the incidents “theft of a flash mob.”
The theft happened the day after over 80 people landed on Nordstrom last week in the San Francisco Bay Area. Armed with crowbars and ski masks, the crowd fled with thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. Three people were arrested.
Here’s what to know about the recent thefts:
What is ‘take and go’ theft?
These incidents, known as “grab and go” or “smash” thefts, involve people taking expensive items and running away, not traditional shoppers taking things here. and stay there while shopping around.
Some of these thefts are also considered organized retail crime, which refers to professional theft rings. They cost US stores and retailers up to $30 billion a year, according to the FBI.
Retailers and experts from the National Retail Federation say Theft has become more violent amid the pandemic and has moved from the cities to the suburbs. With Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season kicking in, retailers say they’re concerned more robberies could happen.
A series of high-end store robberies:Storm ‘crowd’ robs California Nordstrom
‘Sad day for San Francisco’:Walgreens closes 5 more stores in San Francisco due to organized theft
Where did they happen?
There have been several burglaries in major cities across California, including the San Francisco Bay area.
Nine people face charges in connection with last Friday’s thefts at Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Bloomingdale’s in downtown San Francisco’s Union Square, the police said. According to police, cell phone video shows 20-40 people smashing windows and taking goods.
In San Jose on Sunday, about $40,000 items were stolen from a Lululemon store, Mercury News reported. In Palo AltoTwo women were arrested after 30 to 40 people tried to break through the glass door of a downtown boutique on Sunday night, police said.
Then, on Wednesday, the four men fled with $20,000 in merchandise from an Apple store in Santa Rosa, according to the police.
“These brazen acts will not be tolerated in San Francisco,” said District Attorney Chesa Boudin in a statement on Tuesday. “But the problem is bigger than our city. Last weekend, there were similar incidents in Walnut Creek, Hayward, Oakland and San Jose.”
The thefts are also not exclusive to California. Police said More than a dozen people in Chicago stole about $120,000 in items from a Louis Vuitton store on November 17.
Chain of organized thefts:After the Nordstrom robbery in California, will other retailers be next? Experts say yes.
Catalytic converter theft has increased:LA’s top prosecutor is threatening a war with auto companies to force change.
What’s next?
Police in the affected areas have increased patrols because the stores have increased security.
Boudin said Bay Area prosecutors are working together “to share information and develop strategies to combat” organized and takeout thefts. County attorneys from several Bay Area counties met Tuesday to discuss solutions to the theft cases.
Lynda Buel, president of Ohio-based security consulting firm SRMC, told CNN The elimination of low-level crimes in some states means fewer consequences for those accused of participating in robberies. In California, she said, a 2014 ballot measure raised the threshold for theft from $500 to $950.
“The threshold for a misdemeanor is $950 — meaning a person can steal up to that amount and be charged with a misdemeanor,” Buel said.
Contribution: Associated Press
Contact News Now Reporter Christine Fernando at cfernando@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.