Craze looting spreads beyond California; Heartland State Stores Blitzed by Mobs

“Black Friday” – the day after Thanksgiving, which traditionally marks the start of the Christmas shopping season – takes on a whole new meaning with reports of flash mobs engaging in robberies items at many retail stores in California, Minnesota, and other states.

In California, Los Angeles County stores in Lakewood City and the Beverly Grove neighborhood were targeted by robbers on the busy shopping day after Thanksgiving.

A group of 15 to 20 year old suspects arrived at a Home Depot store in Lakewood around 7:45 p.m., set up with crowbars, mallets and sledgehammers, KTTV reported.

#BREAK: A group of young suspects stole hammers and crowbars at The Home Depot in Lakewood, deputies said. Monitor @JessicaOhTV because she will have the latest news on FOX 11 News at 10📺 https://t.co/TJQapjib3u

– FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) November 27, 2021

Arriving in 10 cars, the group in ski masks ran into the store and took a chunk of hammers before leaving, according to KCBS-TV.

The stolen tools could be used in more robberies in the area, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.

Four people have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Meanwhile, in the bustling shopping and dining district of Beverly Grove, looters stole luxury goods, pepper sprayed anyone who tried to stop them, Fox News reported.

It is unclear whether any arrests have been made in the case.

Governor of California Gavin Newsom asserts that a stronger police presence across the state is needed to combat such crime.

“Everybody has to step up everything,” Newsom told Fox. “We need to see more law enforcement, see more deterrence, more presence. You’ve seen more, you’ll see more CHP [California Highway Patrol] officers on the street. “

The governor affirmed that increased efforts by law enforcement will continue.

“You’ll find it in and around major malls and malls, will continue to work collaboratively to address these organized efforts and call them out,” Newsom said. KTVU-TV. “They need to be held accountable. This is unscrupulous behavior. Its impact goes far beyond the victim: the business. We are all victims because there is a degree of distrust, lack of confidence in public safety inherent in what is happening. We need to be more aggressive.”

It’s shameless”Black Friday“The robberies are not limited to the West Coast, with similar incidents taking place in the heart of the United States.

A Best Buy in Burnville, Minnesota, was robbed, with a group of 20 to 30 people stealing electronics and other items from the store, as recorded by WCCO-TV reporter Nick Streiff.

Burnsville Police confirmed to @WCCO that a group of 20-30 people robbed a Best Buy store near the Burnsville Center shopping mall around 8pm tonight. All suspects fled before the police arrived. Police say no weapons were involved; It is not clear how much has been made.

– Nick Streiff (@nickstreiff) November 27, 2021

Another Best Buy program in the nearby city of Maplewood saw a “large group” of 10 to 12 adults and minors, according to the Maplewood Police Department, enter the store and begin with the television. , tablets and skateboards, Fox News reported.

In both Minnesota incident, all the suspects fled before the police arrived.

California and Minnesota aren’t the only states experiencing such post-holiday robberies.

WGN-TV in Chicago reported four retail burglaries that occurred early Thursday morning and early Friday morning.

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Brett Davis, who holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Western Washington University, has written for newspapers, public policy organizations, a major humanitarian organization, and a software company. Brett lives in Federal Way, Washington, just south of Seattle.

Brett Davis, who holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Western Washington University, has written for newspapers, public policy organizations, a major humanitarian organization, and a software company. Brett lives in Federal Way, Washington, just south of Seattle.