Shocking moment brazen thieves ransack Chanel store in the Bay Area – as it’s revealed rise of ‘flash rob’ mobs will cost California $19 billion this year

This is the shocking moment brazen thieves looted a Chanel store in California – as it has been revealed ‘flash rob’ gangs will cost the state $19 billion this year.

Footage showed a trio of masked men – dressed all in black – ambushed the Bay Area designer store as frightened customers fled for the exit.

The brutes were seen entering the store and grabbing handbags, backpacks and wallets from the shelves, as a terrified cashier said: ‘Oh my god.’

They then sprint outside as one of the thieves falls to the ground, while shoppers screamed and others shouted, “Get ’em!”

It comes amid a wave of ‘flash rob’ mobs in California, previously targeting Nordstrom Rack, Nike and Versace.

The footage was posted online, with one person saying: ‘Imagine paying hundreds of dollars for something and someone comes after you and steals the same thing.’

Others just wanted to know where the latest smash and grab took place. “Where in the Bay Area?” one person asked.

Someone said, “Looks like Stanford Mall in Palo Alto.” Another person said, “It looks like a carnival in San Jose.”

It is unclear where exactly the incident took place and how many goods were stolen.

The rise of flash rob mobs is a dire new crime hitting soft-on-crime California and costing the state billions. guidance from the LAPD warns.

The incidents are becoming increasingly common, with detectives from the state’s largest police force now putting together special teams to tackle the problem.

The groups have looted stores including Nordstrom, Nike and Versace.

In response to the recent surge, Los Angeles Police Department officials formed a task force called the Organized Retail Crime Taskforce (ORCT).

By the end of last month, the task force had made 11 arrests in connection with four cases.

But investigators say the trend is not limited to the Golden State and will ultimately cost America $30 billion a year unless something is done.

A recent incident was the robbery of a Nordstrom at the city’s Topanga Mall, which resulted in a gang of more than thirty people making off with $300,000 worth of goods.

Videos circulating online show the thieves taking luxury goods from brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Burberry and Bottega Veneta.

The gang also used bear spray to attack two security guards inside the store, allowing them to cause chaos.

Several individuals are seen snatching security-tagged goods and plundering clothes rails, while what appears to be a member of staff urging other customers to stay away.

Thieves are seen heading for the exit, with one of them carrying a suitcase and other luxury luggage.

The gang had flooded the store with armfuls of items, some accidentally dropping goods amid the chaos as they maneuvered around broken glass and fallen mannequins.

The LAPD later confirmed that the group made off with more than $300,000 worth of items.

The same Nordstrom was previously looted in November 2021 when robbers again used bear spray on a security guard and stole designer items.

Just days earlier, bystanders watched as at least 30 brazen thieves looted a Saint Laurent store in Glendale.

Glendale police said the thieves got away with $300,000 worth of merchandise after overwhelming the staff in less than a minute.

None of the thieves used weapons as part of the plan and no injuries were reported.

Footage from the store shows a group of thieves wearing hoods and masks running out of the store with arms full of merchandise.

They sprinted along a walkway to the curb, where police said 20 getaway cars were waiting for them, and sped off in different directions.

One suspect appeared to have been stopped by an Amazon delivery driver, who struggled with the thief.

An employee later told FOX 11 that “all the merchandise was taken in less than a minute.”

Speaking about the incident to KTLA, Glendale police Sgt. Victor Jackson said there was a “brief pursuit” of the suspects, but police did not find any of them.

The LAPD has since confirmed that arrests have been made in connection with this incident.

A study published last week by the Public Policy Institute of Californiathey said there has been a significant increase in commercial burglaries in Southern California.

Business burglaries increased during the first year of the pandemic. After an increase of 5.8% in 2022, the figure is 15.7% higher than in 2019.

The most recent figures from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce show that organized retail theft costs the state just over $19 billion.

This figure includes the cost of lost products, higher insurance costs, higher prices of goods and unrealized wages.

In announcing the new task force, LAPD Chief Michel Moore said in a statement: “As Chief of Police, my primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and security of our community members and businesses.

‘With that commitment in mind, we are taking an aggressive stance to tackle the escalating problem head-on.

“The task force will consist of highly trained detectives with expertise in theft prevention, advanced investigative techniques and community involvement.

‘Their mission is multi-fold: to eliminate the recent incidents of violent retail robberies, reduce incidents of organized shoplifting and promote a safer shopping environment for everyone.

“Organized shoplifting is a $30 billion problem in our country.

“Its impact not only affects businesses financially, but also has a wider impact on our community’s overall sense of well-being.

“Most disturbing recently has been the escalation of individuals using weapons, fear and terror to attack retail establishments.

Last month, Tom Saggau, spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said Fox news that he believes the increase is due to a zero cash bail policy.

He told the newspaper: ‘The abolition of cash bail for these types of offenses is really an invitation to these types of people who tend to break the law and do so in such a brazen way.’

The policy means that individuals arrested and charged with a crime are subsequently released without having to post bail up front.

Saggau continued, “These people need to be held accountable in a way that requires them to forfeit their freedoms.”

Last week, Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom announced a plan for an additional $267 million to help combat organized retail crime.

Newsom said, “Enough with these brazen firecrackers. With an unprecedented investment of $267 million, Californians will soon experience more arrests, more police, more arrests, and more criminal prosecutions.

“If shameless criminals walk out of stores with stolen goods, they’ll go straight to jail.”