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80 looters simultaneously broke into a Nordstrom near San Francisco, police say: ‘Clearly a planned event’ in weekend filled with looting incidents

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May 29, 2001
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Drivers blared their horns Saturday evening as dozens of thieves carrying luggage and bags darted from a Nordstrom department store near San Francisco and hopped into cars waiting for them outside. All but three of the 80 or so looters escaped, police said.

Two store employees were assaulted, and one was pepper-sprayed by the intruders, according to officers in Walnut Creek, a city about 25 miles east of San Francisco. In a news release, police called the crime “clearly a planned event.”
“Walnut Creek Police investigators are in the process of reviewing surveillance footage to attempt to identify other suspects responsible for this brazen act,” the department said.

The spectacle Saturday night was one of several incidents of looting and shoplifting reported at high-end retail stores around the Bay Area over the weekend.






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On Friday night, thieves broke into at least 10 stores, including a Louis Vuitton in San Francisco’s Union Square. And on Sunday night, officers in Hayward, about a 30-minute drive from San Francisco, were investigating after a group of smash-and-grab burglars destroyed glass cabinets and stole merchandise from a mall jewelry store.








Police arrest suspects during San Francisco looting spree








Police arrest suspects after a San Francisco Louis Vuitton store was robbed during a 10 store looting spree in the area on Nov. 19. (The Washington Post)
“These crimes are happening around the Bay and across the country,” San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin tweeted Saturday. “I stand in partnership with our local, regional, state, and federal partners as we work together to do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

Incidents of retail theft and organized crime have marred San Francisco’s image as of late. Pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS have bemoaned blatant acts of shoplifting and shuttered several locations as a result. In September, city officials announced new tactics for fighting the crime wave, including adding more foot patrols and additional investigators to the police department’s organized retail crime unit.


This weekend’s crime spree began Friday night around 8 p.m. as San Francisco police responded to reports of looting and burglary around Union Square, a popular shopping district. Videos circulating on social media show looters ransacking a Louis Vuitton store after shattering the windows. One person can be seen climbing a shelving display to grab a handbag at the top, while another dragged a large piece of luggage outside. Yet another ran from the store with an armful of shoes and clothing.

ABC7 News reported that over $1 million in merchandise was stolen from Union Square stores.

One video shows police smashing the windows of a Mustang outside the store and forcibly removing a person from the vehicle. At a news conference Saturday, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said the officers “were confronting an armed individual” inside the Mustang.


As of Saturday, police had arrested eight people and seized two vehicles thought to be connected to the crimes, including the Mustang, Scott said.
“I think the people that tried to do this and the people that did do this, it was concerted,” he said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that this was not unplanned.”

The following evening, Nordstrom employees and shoppers in Walnut Creek were ambushed by approximately 80 thieves who entered the store in unison just before 9 p.m., police said.

Jodi Hernandez, a reporter with NBC Bay Area, was outside the store and recorded footage of what she dubbed the “flash mob robbery.” Hernandez said about 25 cars blocked the street in front of Nordstrom before the occupants stormed inside and then returned to the vehicles with stolen merchandise.

Three people were arrested in connection with the thefts Saturday night, according to police: 30-year-old Dana Dawson and 32-year-old Joshua Underwood of San Francisco, and 18-year-old Rodney Robinson of Oakland. The Walnut Creek Police Department did not respond to an email from The Washington Post late Sunday requesting an update on its investigation.


On Sunday, however, the department cautioned residents that the same group of thieves might be planning another heist that evening.

“This has not been confirmed, but out of an abundance of caution, we’re alerting businesses and residents to be prepared,” police tweeted. “The PD is calling out add’l officers and reserves, and some stores may consider closing early or taking other precautions. There is no specific time or target known right now.”
On Sunday night, at the Southland Mall in Hayward, a group of thieves carrying hammers smashed glass cases and stole jewelry from Sam’s Jewelers, local media reported.

Lt. Mark Ormsby of the Hayward Police Department told the San Francisco Chronicle that investigators do not yet have enough information to tie the incident to the other crimes in the Bay Area.



Jim Dudley, a retired San Francisco Police officer who now teaches criminal justice at San Francisco State University, said the burglaries might be the result of a “perfect storm” created by corporations and policymakers in California, where many retailers have “no chase” policies regarding shoplifters and where at least $950 of merchandise must be stolen for state prosecutors to press felony charges.
The weekend’s looting and shoplifting incidents “seem to be coordinated, with tools, lookouts, vehicles for getaway and swarming tactics used by criminals with intent to plunder,” Dudley told the Chronicle.

 
"Jim Dudley, a retired San Francisco Police officer who now teaches criminal justice at San Francisco State University, said the burglaries might be the result of a “perfect storm” created by corporations and policymakers in California, where many retailers have “no chase” policies regarding shoplifters and where at least $950 of merchandise must be stolen for state prosecutors to press felony charges.
The weekend’s looting and shoplifting incidents “seem to be coordinated, with tools, lookouts, vehicles for getaway and swarming tactics used by criminals with intent to plunder,” Dudley told the Chronicle.

These thefts are clearly more than $950 so the new law doesn't apply. Just cops/conservatives being cops/conservatives.
The fact of the matter is 1) there's always crime and 2) things like this will get worse as the gap between the poor and the wealthy continues to grow.
 
"Jim Dudley, a retired San Francisco Police officer who now teaches criminal justice at San Francisco State University, said the burglaries might be the result of a “perfect storm” created by corporations and policymakers in California, where many retailers have “no chase” policies regarding shoplifters and where at least $950 of merchandise must be stolen for state prosecutors to press felony charges.
The weekend’s looting and shoplifting incidents “seem to be coordinated, with tools, lookouts, vehicles for getaway and swarming tactics used by criminals with intent to plunder,” Dudley told the Chronicle.

These thefts are clearly more than $950 so the new law doesn't apply. Just cops/conservatives being cops/conservatives.
The fact of the matter is 1) there's always crime and 2) things like this will get worse as the gap between the poor and the wealthy continues to grow.

Good grief.

Yes, there's always crime but "flash lootings" would seem to be a new thing.

And there will always be poor so stop making excuses for them. All criminals aren't poor and all poors aren't criminals.
 
It’s not limited to San Francisco and it’s not an urban/suburban issue. We will eventually get increased retail security and criminals will move on to other forms of theft
 
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"Jim Dudley, a retired San Francisco Police officer who now teaches criminal justice at San Francisco State University, said the burglaries might be the result of a “perfect storm” created by corporations and policymakers in California, where many retailers have “no chase” policies regarding shoplifters and where at least $950 of merchandise must be stolen for state prosecutors to press felony charges.
The weekend’s looting and shoplifting incidents “seem to be coordinated, with tools, lookouts, vehicles for getaway and swarming tactics used by criminals with intent to plunder,” Dudley told the Chronicle.

These thefts are clearly more than $950 so the new law doesn't apply. Just cops/conservatives being cops/conservatives.
The fact of the matter is 1) there's always crime and 2) things like this will get worse as the gap between the poor and the wealthy continues to grow.
Imagine being this partisan. Just cops and conservatives being cops and conseratives...
 
The videos are interesting. They all just parked in front. Ran to the area. Grabbed a hand full of items and ran out and back to their overall nice cars and left. Many of them seemed like they were having a grand / laughing almost like part of the fun was just doing it as a big party and something to do.
 
"Jim Dudley, a retired San Francisco Police officer who now teaches criminal justice at San Francisco State University, said the burglaries might be the result of a “perfect storm” created by corporations and policymakers in California, where many retailers have “no chase” policies regarding shoplifters and where at least $950 of merchandise must be stolen for state prosecutors to press felony charges.
The weekend’s looting and shoplifting incidents “seem to be coordinated, with tools, lookouts, vehicles for getaway and swarming tactics used by criminals with intent to plunder,” Dudley told the Chronicle.

These thefts are clearly more than $950 so the new law doesn't apply. Just cops/conservatives being cops/conservatives.
The fact of the matter is 1) there's always crime and 2) things like this will get worse as the gap between the poor and the wealthy continues to grow.
It’s weird how well this current societal stuff mirrors what came on the heels of industrialization. Neoliberalism is recreating the conditions that made for rising crime back in the 19th century.

This isn’t a Biden nor a Trump thing.

Crime rises parallel to wealth concentration, to consolidation of power. People have been working more for less for several decades now. Similar to industrialization days. What we’re doing now, this “economy”, it’s simply not sustainable. And it’s dangerous.

But back to Biden and Trump. That’s easier.
 
"things like this will get worse as the gap between the poor and the wealthy continues to grow."

That's an excuse. Don't blame the criminals, blame wealth inequality.
It’s actually historically common, Trad. I realize you’re just an ignorant, incurious buffoon, but sometimes I hope you become a little self-aware about what and who you are.

Maybe just preface every next dumb take with, “I know I’m just an ignorant, incurious buffoon, but… “
 
It’s actually historically common, Trad. I realize you’re just an ignorant, incurious buffoon, but sometimes I hope you become a little self-aware about what and who you are.

Maybe just preface every next dumb take with, “I know I’m just an ignorant, incurious buffoon, but… “
Some of us - self included - think you're the idiot.
 
Personally, I’d crack down on thieves of all types. Put these folks in jail and same for white-collar criminals. Long sentences.
Imagine. @Whiskeydeltadeltatango I, too, el oh el at these threads. It’s interesting that this draws the ire it does while crimes of a much greater, and now also easy-to-see, go relatively unmentioned.

If I was like @Bro D i might go ahead and make the wild jump to claiming this a “justification”.
 
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Personally, I’d crack down on thieves of all types. Put these folks in jail and same for white-collar criminals. Long sentences.
For me the significant part of this is the orgainization. This wasn't a group of 5 guys who got a crazy idea. This was well orgainized.


At the end of the day it is all just stuff, there are underlying factors that need to be addressed here imo.
 
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Just because apparently it had to be said… crime is bad.

It’s also unsurprising, and expect it to increase.

I have been saying for many years, and I’ll keep saying it: wealth/power concentration/consolidation is destabilizing. It’s also unsustainable. Unless and until we address it, well, expect more of this. And it doesn’t matter if your personal municipality is D- or R-led.

Want to talk about enablement? The stupid tribalism is a major enabler.

It’s all good, assuming this is the type of society you want, the type of society you want your kids and grandkids and great-grandkids to inherit.
 
Right back at ya douchebag
Okay, prove it. Show me how I’m wrong. Gonna have to change history to do it.

Never mind make up meanings of words while likely still misapplying them.

JFC you’re painfully dumb. That pride, tho.

Go for it, dipshit. Show me how I’m wrong. Show me how I’m justifying anything. Enabling anything. How I’m hypocritical. Go, you foolish fúck.
 
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Okay, prove it. Show me how I’m wrong. Gonna have to change history to do it.

Never mind make up meanings of words while likely still misapplying them.

JFC you’re painfully dumb. That pride, tho.

Go for it, dipshit. Show me how I’m wrong. Show me how I’m justifying anything. Enabling anything. How I’m hypocritical. Go, you foolish fúck.
Sir, this is an Arby's.
 
Okay, prove it. Show me how I’m wrong. Gonna have to change history to do it.

Never mind make up meanings of words while likely still misapplying them.

JFC you’re painfully dumb. That pride, tho.

Go for it, dipshit. Show me how I’m wrong. Show me how I’m justifying anything. Enabling anything. How I’m hypocritical. Go, you foolish fúck.
Right out of the playbook. Blame bad behavior on others and then call somebody names who doesn't agree with you. You have got to be the biggest dipshit on this board who masks his dumbass with long drawn out nonsense
 
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Now get the last word in so your day can be complete and I can go back to actually working
 
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