Fallout from MLK, "Black Flash Mob Robbery Trend Soared in 2023 Fueled by Social Media: 'Organized Black Retail Crime'"

'These people just go out and steal, not because of need, [but] 
because they can and they won't get in trouble,' a California 
police officer said of smash-and-grab theft

It's a scene that has played out in retail stores across the 
U.S. scores of times in 2023: Hordes of looters running in and 
out of shops, grabbing everything they can and then scattering 
before anyone can stop them.

Many of the thieves, who can hide in the anonymity of the crowd, 
never even face consequences for these flash-mob robberies — 
though the mass robberies sometimes turn violent.

In Los Angeles over the summer, dozens of masked thieves 
orchestrated a smash-and-grab heist at Nordstrom in the Topanga 
Mall, leaving behind a trail of broken glass and strewn 
mannequins while hauling off an estimated $100,000 worth of 
merchandise.

Philadelphia's historic Center City was paralyzed over several 
nights in September as social media-fueled mass looting targeted 
liquor stores and retail shops like Foot Locker, Lululemon and 
Apple.

More than 70 arrests were made, and business owners are still 
recovering from damages and lost merchandise.

While there isn't specific data on flash mob robberies, industry 
experts have seen an uptick of these incidents in 2023 year and 
predict that the trend will continue in the new year, according 
to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the nation's largest 
retail trade association.

The NRF considers flash mob robbery as "organized retail crime," 
which is rising, according to the group's analysis.

"Retail theft is not a victimless crime. It impacts jobs, 
consumers and communities in several ways," David Johnston, vice 
president of asset protection and retail operations for the NRF, 
testified to Congress this month.

"Increased violence involving theft has caused injury to 
employees and consumers, the unfortunate death of some retail 
associates, and a fear of working or shopping in high-crime 
locations," he said.

"This makes it difficult for retailers to retain or find labor 
to support consumers."

The group estimates that this type of looting costs companies 
roughly $700,000 for every $1 billion in sales.

What drives flash mob robberies?
These types of robberies often hatch online by young people who 
put out a call out for others to join in the looting, Drew 
Neckar, president of Security Advisors Consulting Group, told 
The Messenger.

"Social media and a constant cycle of knowing what's happening 
elsewhere hits TikTok and other platforms, and people may see it 
and think, 'why aren’t we doing that?’” he said.

Committing crime in a group gives the perception that 
participants can hide in large numbers and that the chances of 
being caught afterwards are low because a majority of large 
retailers are telling staff not to stop mobs of shoplifters for 
fear of injury or death during these sometimes violent 
intrusions, Neckar added.

Despite the difficulty in apprehending looters, law enforcement 
in many cities have undertaken concerted efforts to stop flash 
mobs of robbers from having their way.

The Sacramento Sheriff's Office coordinated its first major 
retail theft sting in the busy shopping month of December, 
dispatching 50 undercover deputies for one week in 12 major 
stores in the county, including Target, Walmart, Ulta and 
Walgreens.

Under “Operation Bad Elf" the office counted 285 theft arrests 
over seven days.

"We're tired of it, the public is tired of it, this is a big 
issue," Sheriff Jim Cooper at a media conference. "These people 
just go out and steal, not because of need, [but] because they 
can and they won't get in trouble."

But for Neckar, flash mob robberies and other types of thefts 
reflect an increasing economic divide as these robberies tend to 
occur in affluent shopping districts within driving distance of 
low-income and high-crime areas, he said.

Ultimately, though, these crimes as well as other thefts hurt 
communities because when stores close, there's a loss of jobs.

And with limited police resources, "if you're concentrating on 
preventing retail crime in high dollar shopping areas, what's 
happening in the other neighborhoods?” he continued.

More shocking flash mob robberies in 2023
A two-day September crime spree in Philadelphia started as a 
"coordinated attack" on dozens of stores across the city, 
including Foot Locker, Lululemon and Apple.

The looting followed peaceful protests over a judge's decision 
to dismiss murder and other charges against a Philadelphia 
police officer who shot and killed a driver Eddie Irizarry.

Seventy-two people have been charged in connection to the 
looting, with more arrests still expected.

At least 30 suspects orchestrated a heist on an Yves Saint 
Laurent store in Glendale, Calif., in August, making off with 
about $300,000 in merchandise before fleeing in several cars.

Dressed in hoods and masks, the flash mob robbers descended on 
the upscale Americana at Brand shopping center in broad daylight.

Video appeared to show bystanders, including an Amazon worker, 
attempting to fight burglars in the streets.

Days later, a group of thieves in black hooded sweatshirts and 
masks stole $100,000 worth of goods from another Southern 
California luxury shop, the Gucci store in Costa Mesa.

https://youtu.be/G8rghHfPBaA

A flash mob of up to 400 teens erupted into chaos over the 
summer at a northern California mall, where lotting, vandalism 
and fights were reported.

It ended when gunshots rang out at the outdoor Bay Street Mall 
in Emeryville, causing many in the crowd to flee in panic.

One person was stabbed during the bedlam.

Police said that the gathering was coordinated via social media 
and promoted on several platforms.

In November, more than a dozen robbers — four girls and thirteen 
boys, all between the ages of 15 and 20, police said — were 
caught on camera ransacking a Los Angeles-area Nike store.

Customers watched as the thieves stole armfuls of merchandise 
from the shelves of the athletic store in the Watts neighborhood 
before they fled the scene in multiple vehicles.

A security guard opened fire on Dec. 17 after at least six 
suspects ransacked a Washington D.C. Chanel store — the scene of 
a separate flash mob robbery that happened in February.

One of the suspects used a fire extinguisher as a weapon, police 
said, before the thieves stole an "undetermined amount of 
merchandise."

No injuries were reported.

In February, 15 masked and hooded suspects robbed the same 
Chanel store and also used a fire extinguisher to create chaos 
before swiping handbags and other merchandise.

Dozens of suspects robbed two Memphis gas stations last month, 
stealing more than $17,000 worth of merchandise.

One by one police said the suspects grabbed goods from one 
store, including snacks, drinks and alcohol.

The thieves then hit another gas station 90 minutes later.

“It was a bunch of them that came in the same cars. They just 
break the pumps,” the Exxon gas station owner told Fox13.

"I just can’t believe why they did this. They come inside the 
store and damage all our stuff."

https://themessenger.com/news/flash-mob-robberies-2023-growing-
trend-retailers