{"id":1058076,"date":"2021-11-26T19:58:55","date_gmt":"2021-11-27T00:58:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1058076"},"modified":"2021-11-26T19:58:58","modified_gmt":"2021-11-27T00:58:58","slug":"california-faces-wave-of-flash-mob-smash-and-grab-thefts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/california-faces-wave-of-flash-mob-smash-and-grab-thefts\/","title":{"rendered":"California Faces Wave of &#039;Flash Mob&#039; Smash-and-Grab Thefts"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcalifornia-faces-wave-of-flash-mob-smash-and-grab-thefts%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1058076&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/AP_20223611155286-640x335-1.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p class=\"subheading\">California has faced two weeks of sustained \u201csmash-and-grab\u201d burglaries around the state involving flash mobs of thieves running into stores, smashing glass cases, and running out with thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, purses, electronics, and other goods.<\/p>\n<p>While smash-and-grab burglaries have become commonplace in California \u2014 particularly in San Francisco \u2014 the quick succession of the crimes has put shoppers and businesses on edge.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B1\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"gmxrevmore\" class=\"H\"><\/figure>\n<p>Law enforcement say thieves are being recruited for up to $1,000 to steal goods that are then shipped across state lines and sold on the Internet, making it hard for cops to track the criminals, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-10245031\/Thieves-nab-20-000-merch-California-Apple-store-BROAD-DAYLIGHT-looting.html\">according to the Daily Mail<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re not talking about someone who needs money or needs food. These are people who go out and do this is for high profit, and for the thrill,\u201d said Ben Dugan,&nbsp;president of the Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail, according to the outlet.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Monday, November 15: Concord<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<p>On Monday, November 15 at around 7:30 p.m. PST, nine suspects wearing masks entered the Iceberg Diamonds store located in the Sun Valley Mall in the East Bay Area suburb of Concord, California, and \u201cwiped out the inventory,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfgate.com\/crime\/article\/jewelry-store-robbery-Concord-Iceberg-Diamonds-16626404.php\">according to SF Gate<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The burglary took place while the mall was open, according to the Concord Police Department.&nbsp;Mall customers believed they heard gunshots, but it was the sound of hammers smashing glass, the police said.<\/p>\n<p>When employees tried to intervene, the suspects \u201cheld them off with their hammers,\u201d according to police.&nbsp;The suspects fled before police were on scene.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"5.9860465116279\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">SMASH AND GRAB: Surveillance video from <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ConcordPD_CA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ConcordPD_CA<\/a> shows an organized robbery at a jewelry store in the Sun Valley Mall. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/abc7newsbayarea?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@abc7newsbayarea<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XHeMBYaRMS\">pic.twitter.com\/XHeMBYaRMS<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Ryan Curry (@RyanCurryTV) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RyanCurryTV\/status\/1460711488834785280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 16, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Friday, November 19: San Francisco<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B3\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>On Friday evening, dozens of suspects were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibtimes.com\/video-looters-ransack-louis-vuitton-burberry-bloomingdales-nordstrom-planned-attack-3342870\">captured on video running out of luxury stores<\/a> Louis&nbsp;Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Burberry, and Bloomingdale\u2019s in San Francisco\u2019s Union Square.<\/p>\n<p>Police reportedly arrested eight suspects and seized two cars and guns, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/calmatters.org\/newsletters\/whatmatters\/2021\/11\/looting-san-francisco-retail-theft\/\">CalMatters<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"D-ROS-B2\" class=\"a8d\"><\/figure>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"7.0355329949239\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Bunch of ppl stealing Louis Vuitton merchandise tonight in downtown San Francisco at the LV store in Union Square. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qLoYtIVeiM\">pic.twitter.com\/qLoYtIVeiM<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Asian Crime Report (@activeasian) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/activeasian\/status\/1461928025319112706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 20, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Saturday,&nbsp;November 20: Walnut Creek<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On Saturday, November 20, at about 900 p.m. PST, as many as 90 suspects carrying crowbars hit a Nordstrom\u2019s in the nearby shopping center at Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek, California.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"M-ROS-B4\" class=\"a8d adSo\"><\/figure>\n<p>The store was still open at the time, and four employees were assaulted \u2013 one with a knife \u2013 two others were struck or punched, and one was pepper-sprayed, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kron4.com\/news\/bay-area\/3-people-arrested-after-walnut-creek-nordstrom-looting\/\">KRON4<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/flash-mob-smash-grabs-continue-065128981.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly90LmNvLw&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANhNqX3OiJbL0WtgEVF-PWXyd7l7SgctCihhtTexJ-R6NgDGKwauH-PNPyHSqlJbt78T06w3vdSltD5jcUXwHYS1vhauZkao_jPpEmWviwGl0Ufo1z0D84Z4fOUt8gbiW_ofF3roKqkLv8vkjT8bBY058ypCzByysOsjfZAyFaRd\"><em>Los Angeles Times<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Suspects had parked about 25 cars in front of the store, and stormed three separate entrances. Video showed suspects in masks and dark clothing running back to their parked cars carrying bags of merchandise. Police said they made off with $100,000 to $200,000 worth of goods.<\/p>\n<p>Only three arrests have been made so far \u2014&nbsp;30-year-old Dana Dawson of San Francisco, 32-year-old Joshua Underwood of San Francisco and 19-year-old Rodney Robinson of Oakland, according to the <em>Times. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>The charges include&nbsp;robbery, burglary, conspiracy, possession of stolen property, illegal possession of a firearm by a felon and carrying a concealed weapon, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kron4.com\/news\/bay-area\/3-people-arrested-after-walnut-creek-nordstrom-looting\/\">KRON4<\/a>.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"8.1362007168459\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Breaking?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Breaking<\/a> About 25 cars just blocked the street and rushed into the Walnut Creek Nordstrom making off with goods before getting in cars snd speeding away. At least two people arrested at gunpoint. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/AG3R94M9L3\">pic.twitter.com\/AG3R94M9L3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jodi Hernandez (@JodiHernandezTV) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JodiHernandezTV\/status\/1462284757434175488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 21, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Sunday, November 21: Beverly Hills; Palo Alto; Larkspur; Hayward<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On Sunday, November 21, there were at least four smash-and-grab burglaries and at least two attempted burglaries on Sunday across California.<\/p>\n<p>In Beverly Hills, suspects attempted to use a sledgehammer to enter Louis Vuitton and Saks Fifth Avenue stores but were unable to get into the stores, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2021-11-26\/as-smash-and-grab-flash-mob-robberies-continue-police-try-to-fight-back\">according to the&nbsp;<\/a><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/california\/story\/2021-11-26\/as-smash-and-grab-flash-mob-robberies-continue-police-try-to-fight-back\">Times<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/em>There were multiple suspects traveling in several vehicles, according to City News Service.<\/p>\n<p>In the Bay Area, about 30 to 40 suspects wearing masks arrived in about 20 cars and tried to smash the glass front door to the RealReal boutique in Palo Alto at around 11:20 p.m. PST but were unable to get in. Two women in a green 2017 Ford Escape SUV with headlights off and no license plates were later arrested in connection with the burglary and caught with at least $15,000 from a different RealReal boutique that was burglarized earlier that night in Larkspur, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/news\/business\/article256114492.html\">according to the Associated Press<\/a>&nbsp;and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paloaltoonline.com\/news\/2021\/11\/24\/police-thwart-30-to-40-burglars-in-smash-and-grab-attempt-downtown\">Palo Alto Online<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Larkspur burglary happened around 9:13 p.m. PST and involved about 40 suspects. The group smashed windows, broke in, and stole merchandise, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paloaltoonline.com\/news\/2021\/11\/24\/police-thwart-30-to-40-burglars-in-smash-and-grab-attempt-downtown\">Palo Alto Online<\/a>.&nbsp;Police booked the two women,&nbsp;a 20-year-old from Richmond and 21-year-old from Vallejo, into the Santa Clara County Main Jail on suspicion of attempted commercial burglary and conspiracy, both felonies.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier in the day at around 6:30 p.m. PST, a group of suspects \u2014 two men and two women \u2014 went into a Lululemon store in Palo Alto and stole more than $40,000 worth of merchandise. One of the men had a \u201cvisible gun in his waistband,\u201d according to <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mercurynews.com\/2021\/11\/22\/san-jose-group-hits-lululemon-at-santana-row-in-latest-brazen-looting\/\">The Mercury News<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>At around the same time, suspects hit the Westfield Valley Fair mall in San Jose and stole more than $7,000 of merchandise from a sunglasses store, fleeing in four or five cars with their license plates covered, according to the <em>The Mercury News<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Several stores at the Southland Mall in Hayward were also burglarized by hammer-wielding suspects who stole jewelry, sunglasses, and clothing. Employees reportedly screamed in terror as the heist unfolded.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"9.3727810650888\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A large mob robbed Sam\u2019s Jewelers inside Southland Mall, Hayward. PD said they received calls at 5:25 pm today. Witnesses told me 1st wave of robbers involved about 30-40 kids. A 2nd wave with fewer robbers returned to clean it up. Story tonight 11 on Ch 5 \u2066<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KPIXtv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@KPIXtv<\/a>\u2069 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1kXj5N4UT2\">pic.twitter.com\/1kXj5N4UT2<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Da Lin (@DaKPIX) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DaKPIX\/status\/1462646658739499010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 22, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Monday, November 22: Los&nbsp;Angeles<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On Monday, November 22, a group of about 20 suspects tobbed the Grove shopping center in Los Angeles, hitting a Nordstrom\u2019s and a CVS, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-10245031\/Thieves-nab-20-000-merch-California-Apple-store-BROAD-DAYLIGHT-looting.html\">according to the Daily Mail<\/a>.&nbsp;They smashed a window and made off with about $5,000 worth of merchandise from Nordstrom\u2019s, and $8,000 from a cash register in the CVS.<\/p>\n<p>The suspects fled the scene in at least four vehicles and three were arrested, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/california\/woodlandhills\/flash-mob-robbers-attack-westfield-topanga-mall?utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_term=crime+%26+safety&amp;utm_campaign=autopost&amp;utm_content=woodlandhills\">City News Service<\/a>. Police recovered clothing, at least one cash register, and gloves from the suspects\u2019 car.<\/p>\n<p>In another burglary earlier at about 9:45 p.m. PST, six suspects robbed a CVS Pharmacy in Los Angeles, taking three cash registers filled with about $8,500 in cash, according to the City News Service.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wednesday, November 24: Los Angeles, Santa Rosa<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On Wednesday, November 24, there were at least three smash-and-grab robberies across California \u2014 two in Southern California, and another near the Bay Area.<\/p>\n<p>In Southern California, suspects hit the the Beverly Center in West Hollywood and a Nordstrom\u2019s at the Westfield Topanga &amp; The Village shopping center in Canoga Park, Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<p>At the Beverly Center, there were two incidents involving groups of suspects entering several stores at the shopping center, grabbing merchandise and running out.<\/p>\n<p>In Canoga Park, \u201can organized group\u201d entered Nordstrom\u2019s at around 7:00 p.m. PST and made off with handbags worth an estimated $25,000, according to the Los Angeles Police Department and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/california\/woodlandhills\/flash-mob-robbers-attack-westfield-topanga-mall?utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_term=crime+%26+safety&amp;utm_campaign=autopost&amp;utm_content=woodlandhills\">City News Service<\/a>. They also attacked a security officer with bear spray. The security officer was taken to the hospital for treatment.&nbsp;According to City News Service, the group contained at least five men, including one wearing an orange wig. They jumped into a newer model gray Ford Mustang and sped away from the scene.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"6.9304812834225\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating Flash Mob Thefts that occurred at the Beverly Center and Topanga Mall <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/DPj4cRivWa\">pic.twitter.com\/DPj4cRivWa<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LAPDHQ\/status\/1463778015570104324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 25, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In Santa Rosa, about an hour from San Francisco, a group of four suspects hit an Apple store at Santa Rosa Plaza on Wednesday morning in broad daylight, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-10245031\/Thieves-nab-20-000-merch-California-Apple-store-BROAD-DAYLIGHT-looting.html\">according to the Daily Mail<\/a>.&nbsp;They stole $20,000 worth of merchandise, according to the outlet. The suspects are believed to be between the ages of 14 and 18.<\/p>\n<p>California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vowed to crack down on the retail crimes.&nbsp;However, Rick Caruso, a real estate developer who is considering a run for Los Angeles mayor, told ABC7 that he blames the crimes on elected leaders.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a manifestation of deciding we\u2019re going to defund the cops,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/patch.com\/california\/woodlandhills\/flash-mob-robbers-attack-westfield-topanga-mall?utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_term=crime+%26+safety&amp;utm_campaign=autopost&amp;utm_content=woodlandhills\">Caruso told ABC7<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s a manifestation of deciding we\u2019re not going to prosecute crimes. I see my city being torn apart because of bad decisions by leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Observers of the crime wave point to California\u2019s 2014\u2019s&nbsp;Proposition 47, which made thefts of $950 or less a misdemeanor versus a felony.<\/p>\n<p><em>New York Post<\/em> columnist Rich Lowry <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/11\/22\/mobs-of-looters-are-grabbing-goods-in-california-thanks-to-downgraded-shoplifting-laws\/\">wrote in a November 22 column:<\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"12\">\n<p>Once people realized that they were unlikely to be arrested or prosecuted for stealing below $1,000, they, of course, responded to the incentive. For their part, the stores advise employees not to interfere with shoplifters lest they get hurt. Many crimes don\u2019t even go reported.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThis is a polity deciding that it is more important to stay its own hand from arresting and jailing criminals than to protect businesses from getting robbed, protect duly employed people from having to watch cretins flout the law and protect neighborhoods from losing retail outlets that they depend on,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Follow Breitbart News\u2019s Kristina Wong on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/kristina_wong\">Twitter<\/a>&nbsp;or on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kristinawongreporting\">Facebook<\/a>.<\/em>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>California has faced two weeks of sustained \u201csmash-and-grab\u201d burglaries around the state involving flash mobs of thieves running into stores, smashing glass cases, and running out with thousands of dollars &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1058076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1058076","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1058076"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1058076\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1058076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1058076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1058076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}