80 thieves ransack Nordstrom department store

In what must be one of the most bizarre robberies, about 80 thieves ransack a Nordstrom department store near San Francisco. According to eye witnesses, the thieves, some wearing ski masks and wielding crowbars, assaulted employees and stole merchandise before fleeing in waiting cars.

The thieves were reportedly seen rushing into the Nordstrom at the Broadway Plaza outdoor mall where they ransacked the store, leaving with boxes and bags. They then fled in dozens of cars. Cellphone video taken by eye witnesses show numerous people in ski masks with crowbars and other weapons entering the store.

Police say that this was a planned even that took place around 9pm on Saturday night, resulting in two employees being assaulted and one hit with pepper spray. Numerous calls were made to 911 by employees, whose quick reaction resulted in three suspects being arrested. A firearm was also recovered from one of the suspects.

Brett Barrette, the manager of a nearby restaurant PF Chang, said he began locking doors while he watched the chaos unfold. According to Barrette “We probably saw 50 to 80 people in ski masks, crowbars, a bunch of weapons.”

“Walnut Creek Police investigators are in the process of reviewing surveillance footage to attempt to identify other suspects responsible for this brazen act,” the department said.

Nordstrom, whose store was ransacked by 80 thieves on the Saturday night, was open as usual on Sunday.

The incident came a day after several high-end stores in San Francisco’s Union Square were broken into by a large group of people who smashed windows, stole merchandise, and then ran to waiting cars, police said. Stores robbed include Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Yves Saint Laurent, Burberry and Dolce & Gabbana.

The news of 80 thieves ransack department store near San Francisco area is not new, with the popular high end shopping district a target of criminals for years. Well-organized thieves have at times have rammed vehicles into storefronts to break glass doors and windows and enter the buildings during non-business hours.

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