San Francisco': video of horde of shoplifters fleeing Neiman Marcus with armfuls of designer bags

[Klaralven]

'Crime is basically legal in San Francisco': Furious shopper posts video of horde of shoplifters fleeing Neiman Marcus - totally unchecked - with armfuls of designer bags

A video captures the moment at least ten people stole loads of designer bags from Neiman Marcus in San Francisco and fled undeterred

Police are still investigating the incident and the suspects were already gone by the time they arrived

Witnesses told KTVU that the store was about to close when the suspects came in and smashed display cases before nabbing the goods and leaving

Shoplifting cases have been on the rise in San Francisco for years

The problem arose after charges of property theft less than $950 in value was downgraded from a felony to a misdemeanor in 2014

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9760789/Horde-shoplifters-fled-San-Franciscos-Neiman-Marcus-undeterred-carrying-stolen-designer-goods.html

[USALiberal]

1. FFS, Lock them up! Nt

[jimfields33]

4. You can't. It's a misdemeanor at most. Fine only if they are found.

Most places are just closing all together or shorting hours. I don’t blame the businesses. Soon we’ll hear stories of nowhere to shop in the area.

[USALiberal]

17. Thanks! Wow, that does not seem smart! Nt

[jimfields33]

22. I know. But things like this always have to go full on crazy

Before reality brings it all back.

[Sanity Claws]

20. Misdemeanors can carry jail terms but usually only up to one year

I'm not familiar with CA law specifically, but that is a general rule. Is there something unique about misdemeanors in California?

[jimfields33]

26. Misdemeanor only above 950.00

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB82

Under 950.00 a fine but you have to be caught and store employees cannot run after you. Call 911 but usually gone by the time the cops arrive.

[Mr.Bill]

94. Actually if it's done by a group and obviously pre-planned

it can bring felony burglary and conspiracy charges. Still not easy to make all those arrests and prosecute, though.

[gldstwmn]

122. Designer handbags at Neiman Marcus

run in the tens of thousands of dollars each. I'm pretty sure the dollar amount would make it a felony. There is more going on here than random shoplifting.

[USALiberal]

18. Sounds like a bad plan to me. Nt

[Jedi Guy]

91. I saw something online about a guy who went on a legit crime spree.

It involved stealing two cars, at least one of which ended up crashed, stealing a bunch of stuff, etc. I don't remember all the details, but I do remember that all three times the cops made contact with him, cited him, and let him go. I listened to that tale with utter incredulity. How is that in any way helpful towards creating a peaceful, civilized society? Absolutely mind-boggling.

[Mr.Bill]

95. Who are those thousands of people in our jails and prisons? n/t

[Archae]

115. "War On Drugs" casualties.

[gldstwmn]

123. Well Devin Nunez and Dana Rohrabacher are still

running around so yeah I guess you're right.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. Surprised that NM didn't take more adequate measures to prevent this very sort of thing ...

from happening...is mgmt absent from NM?

[Zeitghost]

5. It appears

It appears they were in locked display cases that were smashed, what do you want NM to do? It's a department store, they can't keep the merchandise in a vault.

If they try to stop the criminals they put employees at risk and open themselves up to lawsuits.

[SWBTATTReg]

15. Ha ha, they're going to do something, otherwise, why not put the merchandise out in the open,

and just let them/sidewalk thugs come in and take it, without paying for the merchandise? Hey, that's their business (NM), they should have known better, then to expose their workers inside (and merchandise) to such danger, and I would have thought by now that they would have had processes in place, etc. to handle this very scenario from happening. I'm surprised that it did, in fact, happen. I guess that NM got caught w/ their pants down.

[Dream Girl]

27. So it's NM's fault?

[SWBTATTReg]

31. Well, some business practices need to be revamped, don't you think, otherwise it'll continue

to happen again and again and again. That's their problem though, being the owner of the store, they do have a responsibility to their owners too.

[Zeitghost]

41. It's very telling

That you find the victim to be responsible here. Again, this is a department store, not a bank.

Maybe you could share some ideas on what they can do, that we you come off as a concerned person and not someone blaming innocent crime victims?

[SWBTATTReg]

49. And its very telling that you know more than anyone else here on DU what should be done, I

guess. And how would I f**king know what to do, I'm not in retail but I do know that some stores limit the number of unlocked access points to the store at later times in the day, and other measures, such as locking up the merchandise (and yes, they do act like a bank despite you saying mocking, that they are not a bank...when you have 10s of thousands of dollars of jewelry, etc., yes, you do secure it more (like they did at the Famous Barr near me)).

And yes, they do share some of the blame, for perhaps being more trusting (obviously) of the 'public' than they should have been, especially at closing time.

[Devil Child]

58. How should a business assess trustworthiness of a potential shopper?

Genuinely curious about potential methods as this problem is clearly growing.

[SWBTATTReg]

150. Good question, my other half works for Home Depot, and tells me of the things that

people do in trying to heist merchandise out of the store w/o paying for it, they have tried (and have done it too) loading up carts w/ merchandise and just go out the doors w/o paying for it, acting all normal like nothing is wrong, etc. Others rip the wanted item(s) out of its packaging and hide it on their person, or hide it in amid other stuff they have, the list goes on and on. And they do have cameras, multiple cameras, everywhere. They do have a staff constantly monitoring the cameras/video feeds too, and all of course is recorded. Despite these efforts, they still have a ton of stuff get lifted. It's almost sickening to hear about it. The most brazen attempts are the loading up of boxes and boxes of expensive flooring tile (some of which is $20 a sheet/tile), and haul it out w/o paying for it.

I don't know what they are doing in addition to their ongoing efforts but its a constant battle/struggle to maintain inventories that are shown for stuff, and then nothing like that amount is ever found of the missing inventory, all probably lifted and stolen. Especially the high dollar tiles, the hand tools, the power tools, all expensive ticket items. The tools are even for the most part, locked away in special cabinets on the floor (you must call an store employee to get an item out of it, and pay for it right there too, or they walk you up to the main checkouts to pay for it).

I wouldn't be surprised if one day, everything is electronically tagged somehow, tracked throughout its life in the store, and then finally deactivated when sold.

The unfortunate thing is that we all pay higher prices for everything because of this theft. Constant and massive.

[Politicub]

60. Victim? Oh, please. That feeds into the Corporations are People

garbage.

A store is a business. Modern retailers have been investing in technology and methods to reduce shrink (shoplifting) as long as they have been around.

While stealing is wrong, NM should adapt its business to the market in which it serves. And maybe it already does: The corporation adjusts its revenue projections based on historical shrink statistics.

Target made the business decision to close early in San Francisco because of theft. I’m sure it was a cost/benefit analysis that led to the change.

[Devil Child]

68. The adapted business model will most likely mean an even greater amazon future

In person retail will be deemed too high risk and were fucked with an even greater amazon monopoly future. No thanks to that.

[Politicub]

99. In some areas that will be the case. Covid continues to affect consumer

behavior, too. Luxury department stores make up a shopping category unto themselves, and are destinations for wealthy tourists.

Retail is a fluid and complex thing. It evolves with fads and behaviors.

I miss bookstores, and Amazon has a lot to do with what happened to them. But technology and rising real estate prices changed the category as much or more than Amazon.

Walmart pioneered devastation of local retail. Amazon is an awful employer. Big retail in the U.S. is awful everything it seems.

[Devil Child]

145. Good post Politiclub, we are living in very interesting times of flux

Miss those same things too, good memories.

[Zeitghost]

88. More blaming of the victims

While corps certainly are not people, they are made up of individuals. When you steal, it doesn't matter if you steal from one person or 100, it's theft and innocent people are victimized.

Any excuse about business models or insurance is just that, an excuse and a poor one trying to downplay organized criminal activity.

[Politicub]

105. I don't have the same visceral reaction to the video. And I don't see it

as victimization of a business.

[Zeitghost]

121. Every theft has a victim

So who's the victim here?

[Politicub]

124. I would say it's you.

[DFW]

84. It's far more convenient to blame the store for not being a fortress.

Since it is a...(fair warning, evil word coming up) corporation, the store deserves to be blown up, after its contents have been "liberated." Too bad for the hundreds of jobs that depended on it, but hey, it was a corporation, so it deserved every evil thing that befell it.

[sarisataka]

34. Apparently so

A store putting merchandise on display and allowing customers in to see it is just asking for trouble.

People will be unable to stop themselves from stealing it so the thieves have no responsibility

[mahatmakanejeeves]

72. I don't see any need to be so judgmental.

It's not stealing. It's enhanced gifting.

See? Isn't that nicer?

[Jedi Guy]

97. Robin Hood LARPing. N/T

[former9thward]

30. So what would you do?

[SWBTATTReg]

32. How would I f**king know? I'm not in retail.

[Zeitghost]

46. For not knowing anything on the topic

You sure are willing to blame the victim.

[SWBTATTReg]

74. Not really. You are hyperventilating. 10% maybe of the blames rests w/ NM, 90% on the thugs

who got in and stole the items.

[former9thward]

48. From your posts we know that.

But its their fault if course.

[LanternWaste]

153. Ten bucks says you fail to see the irony in your having said that.

[Disaffected]

67. Please,

go away.

[SWBTATTReg]

73. Yes, pls. go away. I've heard enough from you on other comments you have made on other

topics.

[Amishman]

50. If I was NM, close the store and focus on more stable markets

Sounds like they took all reasonable precautions they could given the constraints placed upon them.

[Devil Child]

64. This is the most likely outcome followed inevitably by cries of retail deserts when they shutter

Or communities being ignored while forgetting how we got there in the first place.

Sucks as a local job source will vanish which just adds to the whole negative feedback loop.

[LanternWaste]

154. Your prophecies are always bemusing

God bless Amy Cooper!

[Devil Child]

155. You make me blush

Take care LanternWaste, always happy to bemuse you.

[Captain Stern]

81. You're right...they most likely will do something.

But one of those things they might do is just close that particular store if this happens a lot.

If this store consistently loses money because of shoplifting....it's done.

As for the folks that work there, they'll be given a choice of being laid off, or being laid off.

[ripcord]

157. And when that happens many will blame the store and not the criminals

[gldstwmn]

128. They did file bankruptcy last year so

maybe they cut corners on security? This seems like more of an inside job.

[Blue_true]

172. They can use display cases that are not glass.

There are clear plastics that won’t break unless shot with a tank shell. And they are as clear as glass.

The problem with thwarting thieves with tough display cases in that they will likely start attacking employees, who should have case keys. Maybe the department store believes that the lesser of two evils is having them smash into the display cases while employees stay safely out of the way.

[jimfields33]

7. I think businesses are afraid of going viral if they try to stop shoplifters

They typically are against the stores on twitter.

[gldstwmn]

132. They are using facial recognition

which is largely still untested legally. Were the thieves wearing masks? There are cameras everywhere. Where did the thieves run to?

[ProfessorGAC]

10. Seems Very Extreme

Not sure what one does to secure against people so bent on stealing that they smash display cases.
Lock doors, and only let X number of people at a time, then let them out when they show a receipt?
That might do more damage to revenue than the shoplifting.
A rampage theft like this....
Not sure how they prepare for that.

[Klaralven]

52. One possibility is a entrance lobby with inner and outer doors.

Lock the outer doors to prevent the thieves from leaving and the inner doors to prevent them from reentering the store.

Confine them until the police arrive.

Of course there is also the problem of emergency exits that they could crash out of anyway, but maybe these can be temporarily locked.

There are undoubtedly a lot of legal issues with this, and DA Chesa Boudin would not be on the store's side.

[ProfessorGAC]

55. Agreed!

The emergency egress laws put a lot of ideas into the "rejected" bin.
I did think of one idea!
Put one bag (or a dummy) on display. Want to buy one, clerk goes and gets it.

[Klaralven]

63. There is also the approach of putting an exploding dye pack in one of the handbags

If it goes out of range of the transmitter, it goes off spraying the holder with dye.

[Devil Child]

71. I wonder if there will be move towards representative display only

For items in the retail floor. Look, pick out, purchase, then receive the goods. Secure hand off only.

[Jedi Guy]

101. I have the solution!

Only allow in as many shoppers as you have floor attendants. Each shopper is handcuffed to a floor attendant. Once they select their item and pay for it, the cuffs are removed when the transaction is complete. Absolutely foolproof!

[gldstwmn]

134. And ruining a bag worth tens of thousands of dollars.

[Klaralven]

160. At least it can't be fenced

[gldstwmn]

162. Authentication of these bags on the secondary market is a huge problem.

They will be sold at a fraction of what they are actually worth or bartered. NM is never going put a dye packet on anything. These theives would do better selling knock offs on Ebay.

[Throck]

11. Wouldn't it be more the moral responsibility of the shoplifter?

My dad would smack me up the side of the head if I shoplifted.

Honor and honesty between humans is on the decay.

[superpatriotman]

3. No consequences

nt

[JHB]

6. Fear not! It's just CVS making excuses for stores they were going to close anyway...

...or so some responders to posts on earlier incidents would have you believe.

[Dream Girl]

28. They'll be along soon, posting the same tired article saying, actually shoplifting is down in SF

[gldstwmn]

136. You could say the same about the shoplifting posts.

[Scrivener7]

8. This is clearly not working.

[gldstwmn]

140. You could say the same about bank robberies, yet they continue

with a low percentage of the actual robbers being caught.

[MichMan]

144. Most bank robbery suspects are caught

The FBI takes them very seriously

[gldstwmn]

177. I have no doubt.

[LakeArenal]

9. I suppose Republicans would want armed store clerks.

Unfortunately, incredibly overpriced purses made in China are a target for thieves.

Probably listed on EBay “BuyNow!
(pun intended)

[TheBlackAdder]

12. One or 2 designer bags would hit that minimum threshold, plus smashed display cases add to it.

[Brother Buzz]

13. I would submit that smashing display cases and grabbing stuff is not mere shoplifting

[gldstwmn]

135. You would be correct.

[TheBlackAdder]

16. Am I reading that larceny went down this year as opposed to last year, same Jan-June range?

.

BLUE is the PRIOR year.



.

[tonedevil]

23. That doesn't work for the...

fear mongers narrative. I'm pretty sure you are supposed to say how stupid us people in California are.

[Dream Girl]

29. Shoplifting did not go down, it's just not being reporting because SF police can't/won't respond

So not wort the trouble

[former9thward]

54. There is no reason to report it if it won't be prosecuted.

[ruet]

92. Weird, I Can't Get My Insurance Company to Fix My Car...

without a police report. I guess those bags just aren't worth that much.

[MichMan]

119. What makes you certain stores buy shoplifting insurance?

Wouldn't the premiums in SF be astronomical if they did?

[former9thward]

139. My reference was not to the specific crime in the OP

It applies to the low level theft that is no longer prosecuted. No retail business is filing a insurance claim if someone walks out with a case of beer.

[MichMan]

142. They just raise the prices on everything else making honest people pay more for them

[gldstwmn]

143. The article says it was enacted in 2014.

[former9thward]

152. SF elected a new DA who took over in 2020.

He is the son of two convicted murderers and he stated he would not prosecute "quality of life" crimes. The police are not going to bother with the paperwork of charging a crime that they know will not be prosecuted.

[gldstwmn]

156. It almost sounds like his parents past is being held against him?

So even though this was enacted in 2014 the previous DA filed charges?

[former9thward]

159. He got elected, so at least some voters did not hold his parents past against him.

Although there is a recall petition drive going on currently. I have no idea who is behind it or its chances of success.

When his parents went to prison he was raised by two people who had been underground for 10 years themselves fleeing from the FBI.

I don't know anything about the previous DA or any charges filed.

[Mariana]

167. He is the son of two convicted murderers...

Well, that should disqualify him for sure.

[former9thward]

175. Nope.

A DA who does not prosecute crimes which leads to a reduction in the standard of living for people is the disqualification in my view. If he doesn't want to do that job he should do defense work.

[tonedevil]

179. You are the expert. /nt

[gldstwmn]

141. Facts are pesky things.

[Zeitghost]

19. This is the unfortunate result

This is the unfortunate result of well intentioned criminal justice reform. When you stop enforcing petty crime in an attempt to make things better for people who are caught in a rough lifestyle, you also open up the system to be exploited by career criminals and organized crime.

[Dream Girl]

37. And that is wat is happening. Organized crime. Notice how they covered their faces and hands

They are white, but trying to hide their race, hoping that that people will assume they’re black. I have heard that they are Eastern European. They were doing a lot of auto smash and grabs too.

[Devil Child]

138. "They are white, but trying to hide their race, hoping that that people will assume they're black."

Well ok then....

look through this

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9760789/Horde-shoplifters-fled-San-Franciscos-Neiman-Marcus-undeterred-carrying-stolen-designer-goods.html

and if you still think your quote holds true after closely examining the photos you may want to start with this next link

https://www.allaboutvision.com/eye-exam/cost-and-how-often/

[Dream Girl]

149. I guess you have a hard time believing that they're white.

I need to have my eyes examined because they are more definitely black.

[Calculating]

21. Lock them up

I'm sick of this crap, theft is not a victimless crime. Make shoplifting a felony for over $100, with 5 years mandatory on your third offense. I have no sympathy for these losers who make a living out of theft.

[roamer65]

40. So fill up the prisons with petty offenses?

We tried that with marijuana. No thx.

[Calculating]

42. False comparison

Marijuana is a victimless crime and never should have been illegal. Stealing has victims. Theft hurts the stores, it hurts honest customers who have to pay higher prices, and it drives stores out of bad areas creating food deserts. There's no excuse for this theft, it's not like they're stealing food for their families.

[roamer65]

43. U didn't address my point of prison overcrowding.

What will you do cover the added taxpayer expense for incarceration on all these bullshit felonies?

We can set up a deduction from you paycheck if you like.

[tenderfoot]

24. LOL

eom

[jalan48]

25. Any word from the Mayor about this?

[roamer65]

33. More large city bashing?

You seem to have something against large cities.

Chicago and now SF.

[Dream Girl]

35. Criminal gangs. I heard somewhere that they're Eastern European.

These are not homeless people shiftlifting steaks from Walmart. Same with all the car burglaries

[Treefrog]

120. Those folks didn't look like any Eastern Europeans I've met.

[Dream Girl]

133. Wat do Eastern Europeans look like?

They’re wearing, hoodies, masks and gloves.

[rockfordfile]

165. I don't care where they're from just arrest them.

[Devil Child]

36. Might want to re-think that $950 limit San Fran

[brooklynite]

38. What was the crime/social service debate in the San Francisco 2019 Mayor's election?

[joetheman]

39. Trump, the other MAGAs and the GOP have set the tone at the top for lawlessness.

These people don't earn enough to be tax cheats so they find other ways to break the law and get some goodies. Only thing is, when they get caught they won't have asshat lawyers to get them through or judges to let them go free without any accountability.

[TheRealNorth]

44. What we need to realize...

Is that there is organized crime going on, and something needs to be done about these criminal gangs. This occurred in Minneapolis during the riots too. Often, by the time the media got there, they would catch a few opportunists picking over the leftovers on camera.

[andym]

45. Remote/automatic door locking capability for say even 5 minutes

Would stop this kind of crime very fast. Automatic meaning any item whose protective tag is not inactivated. Then the staff could call the police.

[brooklynite]

47. So you want to lock criminals in the store with staff and innocent shoppers?

[andym]

66. In a word: Yes

If they gravitate to hostage taking, their punishment would be exponentially worse. They, the professional criminals are not going to do that. There are package checkers stationed at doors already at many stores who serve a similar role: Costco and Walmart are but 2 examples.

[Jedi Guy]

108. "In a word: Yes"

Wow, really? You're willing to shrug off innocent shoppers or employees being injured or killed by criminals trapped in the store? I guess as long as the punishment is exponentially worse, the sacrifice of innocent lives is worthwhile. That outlook is just astounding.

[andym]

110. Yes. It's already done (checkers blocking doors)

and there does not seem to be any problem, no matter your emotional appeal to a worst case scenario.

[Jedi Guy]

116. In most cases stores instruct their employees not to physically engage with a shoplifter.

So if they try to escape the store, the employee is supposed to let them go rather than try to restrain them. Locking them in the store with the employees and customers is an absolutely terrible idea.

[Zeitghost]

78. Keeping criminals locked in your store

Keeping criminals locked in your store is a recipe for disaster.

[andym]

107. Done all the time

at stores with checkers at the doors. Can't leave without the checker allowing you to.
Doesn't seem to be much of a problem.
Apparently works OK at reducing petty theft.

[Zeitghost]

125. It's sweet

that you think the receipt checker at Costco or Walmart is stopping crime. But anyone willing to smash a display case and run off with designer bags isn't going to stop for the receipt checker.

[Fiendish Thingy]

51. This is a Daily Mail (Murdoch owned?) story pushing the GOP narrative for 2022- crime. Nt

[Klaralven]

53. So the video is faked?

[Fiendish Thingy]

61. It's not about the video, it's about the narrative the video supports.

The media will be foregrounding stories about crime, shootings etc. for the next 18 months until the election. Stories about income inequality, police violence, structural racism, etc. will be all but ignored.

The narrative will be framed “why can’t Democrat run cities like Chicago and SF get a handle on crime?”

Coming soon to a very serious CNN panel discussion - Van Jones is probably already drafting his talking points.

[Klaralven]

56. Group dashes out of San Francisco Neiman Marcus store after handbag robbery

https://www.ktvu.com/news/group-dashes-out-of-san-francisco-neiman-marcus-store-after-handbag-robbery

[Fiendish Thingy]

65. KTVU is a Fox affiliate. Your opening sentence parroted the GOP narrative

“Crime is basically legal in San Francisco”.

Why are you pushing RW talking points.

Yes, stealing is wrong, but you are helping the opposition place their fear mongering in the consciousness of America.

[Kingofalldems]

130. Bingo.

[Klaralven]

57. Video shows stream of handbag thieves sprinting out of San Francisco Neiman Marcus

https://abc7news.com/neiman-marcus-san-francisco-crime-robbery-sf-shoplifting/10864718/

[Klaralven]

59. Shoplifters flee with several purses from Neiman Marcus in San Francisco: video

https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/shoplifters-flee-with-several-purses-from-neiman-marcus-in-san-francisco-video/

[Treefrog]

77. Guess we're not supposed to believe our lyin' eyes, eh?

[ruet]

79. DUs Propaganda Meter Could Use Some Work.

The Reich Wing's always been good at propagandizing one-off/local issues into national emergencies. ...and DUers are falling right in line.

EDIT: Where's the full, unedited, video? I like how some of the coverage loops back to the beginning so it looks like more people took part than actually did. I count 9, maybe 10, people. Is that considered a "horde" these days? Also, what's with the folks (including either law enforcement, loss-control or both) hanging around across the street already taking video? Yup this seems totally legit and worth being concerned about.

[Devil Child]

80. When it is happening right before you in your own community it tends to elicit a response

So yeah I'll line right up.

[ruet]

86. What Response?

Hysterical sensationalism?

[Devil Child]

90. Acknowledging it exists rather than shouting down those who do with cries of "the narrative?"

[ruet]

102. Acknowledge it in the California Sub-Forum.

...where it belongs.

[leftstreet]

103. +1

good questions

[mahatmakanejeeves]

106. This doesn't happen in just San Francisco. Organized shoplifting occurs elsewhere too.

Google "smash and grab Pentagon City Mall"

About 4,370,000 results (0.91 seconds)

This isn't recent, but it shows you that this goes on from sea to shining sea.

Suspects smash jewelry counter at Pentagon City mall (VIDEO)

wtop staff

February 4, 2013, 5:10 PM

[ruet]

113. And Has Been Going on Forever.

This article is about 8 years old

Real quick... What was going on in VA politics in 2013 and who was POTUS? ...just saying.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

118. I'm sure the shoplifters asked themselves that every time they entered a store.

Real quick... What was going on in VA politics in 2013 and who was POTUS? ...just saying.

Perhaps you'd be happier with one of the other 4,370,000 results.

At any rate, here's what happens when the offense is treated as something other than a prank:

Local

Lookout in Rolex, Gucci smash-and-grab robberies sentenced to 7 years

By Matt Zapotosky September 20, 2013

A man who admitted to being a lookout and scout for a group charged in a string of smash-and-grab robberies at upscale shops in the D.C. area was sentenced to seven years in prison Friday.

The penalty imposed by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema was essentially a compromise between prosecutors’ request that Floyd Davis, 43, spend slightly more than 11 years in prison and defense attorneys’ plea that he serve five. Davis pleaded guilty this year to conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect interstate commerce by robbery and a related gun charge after prosecutors connected him and others to 15 robberies at high-end stores in Northern Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

The spree, which ran from late last year through early this year, sparked terror at retailers across the area. Shattering glass displays as frightened employees looked on, the robbers swiped watches and handbags made by Gucci, Rolex and Michael Kors. Among their targets were the Kors store at Tysons Galleria, the Tourneau store at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City and the Cartier store on Wisconsin Avenue in Chevy Chase, authorities have said.

The spree, which ran from late last year through early this year, sparked terror at retailers across the area. Shattering glass displays as frightened employees looked on, the robbers swiped watches and handbags made by Gucci, Rolex and Michael Kors. Among their targets were the Kors store at Tysons Galleria, the Tourneau store at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City and the Cartier store on Wisconsin Avenue in Chevy Chase, authorities have said.

William Maloney, the asset-protection manager at Saks Fifth Avenue in Richmond, said Friday in federal district court in Alexandria that employees at his store, who were victims of Davis’s group, are fearful “still to this day.” ... “These are people that work every day, week to week, live check by check, and their lives were turned upside down,” Maloney said. ... Prosecutors said they believe that the stores lost more than $1 million, collectively, in merchandise. ... “This isn’t just a short crime spree,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Fahey said.

{snip}

Matt Zapotosky
Matt Zapotosky covers the Justice Department for The Washington Post's national security team. He has previously worked covering the federal courthouse in Alexandria and local law enforcement in Prince George's County and Southern Maryland. Follow https://twitter.com/mattzap

[ibegurpard]

148. We got a crime is out of control narrative to push

[ruet]

151. We're In Real Trouble!

"Larceny is the most common crime committed in the Bay Area, according to the San Francisco Police Department's Crime Dashboard.

There 12,194 instances in 2021 between January 1 and June 27, 2021 – the department’s most recent data. This is a drop by around 11 percent from the same time period in 2020, when there were 13,804 instances."





Oh, crap! I forgot they aren't reporting it.

[ibegurpard]

158. Apparently they just aren't reporting it...

🙄

[gldstwmn]

161. The DA's family were members of the Weather Underground,

the cops don't like him and there is a recall effort. Things that make you go hmm.

[Mariana]

164. The DA's family were members of the Weather Underground...

Well, he certainly should be held to account for that!

[diane in sf]

62. The law needs to be amended to make theft totals cumulative. A lot of this theft is quite organized.

[MenloParque]

69. We don't arrest shoplifters or burglary in SF

My car has been broken into twice in the last 2 months from a underground garage in the Richmond, and my apartment broken into and ransacked. SFPD responding basically told me they can’t and won’t do anything and it’s an Insurance matter. The supervisor asked if I had a firearm, which I replied no…they laughed and said why not?!?!? I love the city by the bay!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

75. There are so many car break-ins in San Francisco that they have their own Twitter account.

Seen here, an Eastern European gang at work.

SF Car Break-ins Retweeted

MORE CAR BREAK-INS: A witness just sent me this video of another smash and grab in San Francisco. This happened today around 3p at Fillmore & Union Streets. Witnesses say they called
@SFPD
.
@kron4news

Link to tweet

Car break-ins increased 750% in San Francisco’s tourist spots

BAY AREA
by: Gayle Ong

Posted: Jun 27, 2021 / 08:41 PM PDT / Updated: Jun 28, 2021 / 04:16 PM PDT

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — San Francisco auto break ins are on the rise in one particular area.

New data from SFPD shows theft from vehicles in the city’s tourist hub jumped more than 750% from May 2020 to May of this year.

The city’s central station experienced 85 reported auto break ins in May 2020. May 2021 experienced more than 700 car break ins — this time period over the course of the pandemic.
KRON4 has reported countless auto break ins caught on surveillance video.

Some even down right brazen with the victim still inside their car during the crime.

{snip}

Copyright 2021 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[Rustyeye77]

126. These people need help.

Poor socio-economic young men have usually dropped out of school and come from a poor family structure.

They often don’t have the education or skills to work in a repressive society.

Locking them up does no one any good.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

129. Where do you park your car? NT

[MichMan]

137. It prevents them from stealing more things from innocent hard working people.

If locking them up isn't the answer, what good does it do to let them escape accountability for their criminal behavior?

Or should people just accept that their cars will be broken into and their property stolen on a regular basis ?

[rockfordfile]

166. I agree

[Blue_true]

169. How do they get help if they are not apprehended?

There should be jails for first time offenders and those jails should emphasize training that will help people get jobs when released from jail. Employers can help by giving the people a chance for a job.


When I worked in corporate America, we were drilled regularly on not leaving valuables in plains sight, in particular items that contained work related information and data. The idea was to put valuables out of sight BEFORE going into a situation where they could be stolen. It is possible that thieves could carjack an employee, but other than the car, that person gains nothing, unless they had cased the person driving the car and saw that person was a top level person who may be caring around valuable information that could be sold or used to force a company to pay a ransom for it’s return (like a major product design, ect) - but situations like that are exceptionally rare.


If you notice the video above, the thief broke into a specific vehicle that was sitting among several vehicles that were not touched. Also, the thief broke into specific windows. The dynamics say to me that the vehicle was “cased” before it was broken into, they knew what they were looking for.

[cinematicdiversions]

178. Locking them up prevents them from doing crimes.

It really only takes a few bad apples being locked up to turn a neighborhood around. On the other hand, it only takes a few bad apples running around with immunity to destroy the quality of life for thousands.

If you allow illegal activities without response it increases all crime from rape to murder. No one wants to live amoung that.

[moonscape]

76. I thought if nothing was visible in the car they

wouldn’t break in. When I’m in the city I leave nothing in it but even that’s not enough? Reminds me when I lived in Manhattan in the 70’s and cars were constantly being broken in to for car radios. One guy gave up replacing his after 2x and would leave a sign on his car ‘No radio inside.’ One morning he went out to his car to find his windows smashed with another sign: GET ONE

Firearm? I can’t imagine an armed SF!

[alphafemale]

70. Vigilantes will arise soon.

There is only so much people can expected to take.

Not in favor of it, but people are being left with no alternative.

[gldstwmn]

146. That happened where I live. One of them was shot by the police.

[dsc]

82. I will say that it is hard to see how that wouldn't still be a felony

in terms of value. My sister likes Coach hand bags and I live by an outlet so I have gotten them for her on more than one occasion. Even at the outlet and on sale, it would take only 6 or so to get to the $950. Full price at a dept store I would think it would be more like 2. Looking at their website, it is more like one. That said, some enforcement of conspiracy might be in order here. I don't have a problem with minor theft being a non felony but conspiracy to engage in a theft ring even if each person stays under $950 should be treated differently.

[ibegurpard]

83. Goodness SF is a warzone!

Perhaps we need to employ federal goon squads and declare martial law...

[ruet]

85. Right After They Rebuild From the Annihilation of Portland.

"This too shall pass"

[ibegurpard]

89. But there's a video

Of someone smashing a case and stealing purses...
Therefore anarchy reigns and crime rates aren't reflwcting it because they just aren't bothering to report it...
Can't believe the shit that gets by here sometimes.

[ruet]

98. In Earlier Days, This Would Be Relegated...

to the California sub-forum.

[IcyPeas]

87. they drove away in nice cars

[Rustyeye77]

93. The video shows poor socio-economic young men.

It’s sad they’re forced to steal to survive.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

100. Yeah, "forced." That's the word I was looking for. Thanks. NT

[jimfields33]

117. That car they drive sure is nice.

[rockfordfile]

168. The victim is the person they stole from

Those aren't kids. There's people 18 years old in the military fighting for our country and not doing this. Some people just want to steal for a living.

[Blue_true]

171. Bingo.

There are some people who don’t want to wake their add up at 5am to get ready to clock into an 8 hour shift at 7am. They would rather sleep until noon, then burglarize the property of businesses or working people. We should not be making excuses for that type of person, they are just societal parasites who don’t really give a shit about anyone else but themselves and like minded friends.

[Blue_true]

170. Come on.

We should spend our time fighting for higher pay for working people, not making excuses for miscreants. There are plenty of poor-socioeconomic people who wake up every workday and put in a good work effort. Why don’t we spend our emotional energy on getting those people more pay and benefits?

[Ligyron]

96. In Palm Beach we used to have a transvestite smash and grab gang.

They were stealing jewelry though mostly.

This San Francisco gang is perhaps more fashion conscious then they were.

[leftstreet]

104. How did you know they were transvestites?

From interviews? They wore symbols or something?

[Ligyron]

111. Good question, I think they caught a few eventually Because they did it more than once.

[Rustyeye77]

109. Uhhh.... Transvestite is no longer used.

The word is cross dresser

[Ligyron]

112. Sorry, it was awhile ago.

That’s how it was reported at the time.

[Oneironaut]

127. Thank you 😊

I’m not a cross dresser, but I appreciate you educating others about the correct terminology.

[Elessar Zappa]

114. Do you have some kind of problem with San Francisco?

Several of your posts have been about the same thing. You know there’s good things going on in the city too, right?

[gldstwmn]

176. Yesterday there was a thread about shopping

carts being stolen from Safeway.

[Kingofalldems]

131. What an interesting thread.

Lots of people showed up. It's a who's who for sure.

[Devil Child]

147. Don't mind me, I'm just here until the real fireworks start with a pitbull or circumcision thread

[gldstwmn]

163. Here's some interesting information along with a lot of links:

| The bogus backlash against progressive prosecutors - The Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/06/14/bogus-backlash-against-progressive-prosecutors/?outputType=comment&no_nav=true

Boudin is a former public defender who was elected in 2019 as part of a surge of reformist prosecutors into DA’s offices in recent years. He’s also among the more radical of the crop. Boudin’s parents were part of the Weather Underground (his father is still in prison for a fatal armored truck robbery in 1981), and he comes from a long lineage of leftist activism. Boudin himself served as an interpreter in the presidential palace of former Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez.

Any wave inevitably produces backlash, and the recent success of progressive prosecutors is no exception. Law-and-order groups such as the Heritage Foundation, which at times have fashionably flirted with criminal justice reform, now run projects firmly opposed to prosecutorial reform around the country.

Boudin himself has already been targeted by a recall campaign, funded by several Silicon Valley financiers. His critics claim crime has soared since he took office, and they blame Boudin’s policies such as abolishing cash bail, compassionate release during the covid-19 pandemic and his refusal to seek sentencing enhancements.


Yet the case against Boudin’s record plays out a bit like Lim’s story: It’s compelling at first blush, but it ultimately collapses with some scrutiny. It’s true, for example, that San Francisco saw a considerable increase in car thefts and home burglaries last year. But violent crime in the city was down in 2020. Overall crime was down 25 percent from 2019. And all major categories of crime remained well below their five-year average. Murders did increase in 2020, but only by 14 percent (from 41 to 47) from a 56-year low in 2019. By comparison, murders nationwide were up about 25 percent in 2020. So far in 2021, murders in San Francisco are down 20 percent from last year.

Another criticism of Boudin is that his office failed to bring enough cases to trial last year. But the pandemic closed courtrooms across the country, including in San Francisco. Most jurisdictions in the United States saw only a fraction of the trials they typically hold each year. Boudin’s charging rates for both violent and property crimes are similar to that of his predecessor, according to Mission Local. And as Boudin points out, San Francisco police made arrests in only about 10 percent of burglaries last year. A DA can’t file charges if the police don’t make arrests.

Ultimately, the case against Boudin rests on two assumptions: that crime in the city has exploded and that Boudin isn’t charging people at the rate his predecessors did. And neither of those assumptions is true. There’s also little evidence that progressive policies such as ending cash bail or refusing to charge low-level offenses have anything to do with the spike in violence nationwide. The 2020 figures are expected to show a homicide surge coast to coast, in rural areas and urban areas, in jurisdictions with both reform-minded radicals and law-and-order stalwarts in the DA’s chair.

[Marrah_Goodman]

173. These are not lone shop lifters, they are organized crime groups

[David__77]

174. This all reads like a Nextdoor thread lol...

…