![]() Still, it's unclear if the seemingly common "flash mob" thefts are actually increasing - or if they're simply getting more attention in the press and on social media.ĭepending on the jurisdiction and the circumstances of a specific incident, people arrested for participating in "flash mob" thefts can face different charges - from burglary to disorderly conduct and others - making it hard to show a trend. Incidents may feel like they're on the rise, but it's an open question Neckar says other strategies stores can adopt include shining bright lights at the entrance so employees can see when a group is arriving, installing lockable doors with break-resistant glass and displaying high-value merchandise in different parts of a store to make it harder for thieves to grab in a hurry. In 2021, Home Depot rearranged its entrances to help prevent theft, adding gates that only allowed traffic to flow in one direction, The Wall Street Journal found. Some northern California retailers have sought out smoke bombs and air horns to repel crowds of thieves, LAist reported. ![]() They're hiring more security officers, locking up merchandise including everyday essentials like pain medicine and baby formula and reverting to early pandemic-era strategies of reducing the amount of access points and limiting the number of customers allowed in at once, Johnston said. "Whether there's an increase or not, retailers are becoming much more aware of it, and especially those in higher-risk locations," said Drew Neckar, president of Security Advisors Consulting Group.Ĭompanies have resorted to new strategies to try to reduce their chances of being targeted by a flash mob and stop the crimes once they begin. And the perpetrators, who aren't hiding the fact that they're committing a crime, are typically unbothered by security alarms and other traditional anti-theft measures. Thefts occur so quickly that they're usually over before law enforcement arrives. The thieves strike in such large numbers that an individual store employee or security guard may not intervene. People steal goods from stores in a number of ways, from simple shoplifting to organized retail crime, in which coordinated groups boost merchandise to resell on the black market.Īnother category - "flash mob" thefts or smash-and-grabs - can prove especially tricky to stop. "The disruption to the consumer and the disruption to the retailer is much greater, because the store has to close, the store has to repair, merchandise has to be replenished," he added.Ĭombating "flash mob" thefts is a challenge, but retailers are trying They also have the biggest potential for violence," said David Johnston, vice president for asset protection and retail operations at the National Retail Federation. "First and foremost, these are very traumatic events. It's unclear from the data whether these specific incidents are actually on the rise, but retailers, law enforcement authorities and elected officials are raising the alarm about a trend they say is worsening across the U.S. Last month in Philadelphia, thieves looted stores across the city over the course of several nights, with prosecutors charging more than 70 people. The thieves occasionally use violence to carry out their crimes and aren't hampered by traditional techniques to prevent shoplifting, such as security tags and alarms.Ĭalifornia has seen a number of large-scale smash-and-grabs in recent months. The dramatic video footage often appears on TV news and social media: A large group of people storm into a store, smashing display cases and snatching loose merchandise before escaping in minutes before the police have had time to respond.Īuthorities say these so-called "flash mob" thefts are sometimes organized on social media and often target high-end goods that can be resold.
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