Several Apple stores have been targeted by a gang of hoodie-clad thieves who have been caught on camera looting and running with tens of thousands of dollars worth of electronics merchandise.
In an attempt to put a stop to these thefts from happening in the future, the San Francisco police have released video footage from inside San Francisco’s Chestnut Street shop on the evenings two thefts occurred. According to Silicon Beat, authorities are asking the public for help in identifying the culprits.
The first video, from Black Friday on Nov. 25, shows approximately six shoppers and four salespeople at the front of the Apple store when the three bandits enter through the double glass doors at 5:40 p.m. The hoodie-clad thieves quickly snatch up all the devices sitting on the two tables at the front of the store and a counter before darting and exiting the same way they entered.
The entire ordeal takes 11 seconds.
Just four days later, on Nov. 29, another theft at the same store occurred. Video footage shows there are just two salespeople at the front of the store at the time of the theft, with one female customer, when four iPhone bandits enter for their grab-and-go heist. They scramble to sweep the devices off of the same front two tables and side counter before heading for the exit. However, this time, a Good Samaritan who witnesses the theft attempts to prevent the thieves from leaving.
The person is able to hold back one of the bandits, until the other three come to their friend’s aid and overpower the person on the outside and burst out.
This robbery takes 12 seconds.
According to KTVU, investigators believe the thefts are the work of the same group and have linked them to several other Apple store robberies in the Bay Area since late October. KTVU further notes that there have been 11 such crimes by young men in hoodies in Apple stores throughout the region over the course of that period of time.
“It demonstrates the brazenness of these individuals, Burlingame Police Department Lieutenant Jay Kiley told KTVU. “The frequency of them does tend to indicate that it’s an organized group.”
Photo: file
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