Two men and one woman have been arrested after dozens of looters stole items from a Nordstrom in Walnut Creek on Saturday evening, according to a press release issued Sunday by police, who described the situation as “organized” and “planned.”
The incident occurred shortly before 9 p.m. at the Broadway Plaza shopping mall, according to the press release, and approximately 80 people were involved.
The three suspects arrested are between the ages of 18 and 32. Two are from San Francisco and the other is from Oakland. The three are being charged with robbery, burglary, conspiracy and possession of stolen property.
The woman is also being charged with illegal possession of a firearm by a felon and carrying a concealed weapon. According to San Mateo Superior Court records, the 30-year-old has previously been charged with shoplifting, prostitution, resisting arrest, possession of burglary tools and the use of a stun gun between 2016 and 2017. The woman was also charged in 2011 with burglary and conspiracy after a shoplifting incident in Mill Valley, according to a Patch article.
During the incident, police say two Nordstrom employees were assaulted and another was pepper sprayed. According to city spokeswoman Betsy Burkhart, the employees’ injuries were minor and they were treated at the scene.
Police say they are currently reviewing video surveillance footage. Burkhart said the Nordstrom store was open with customers during the looting.
The incident mirrors one that happened on Friday night at a Louis Vuitton store in San Francisco’s Union Square where several dozen looters stole merchandise. A police spokesman said they have arrested several individuals involved and were also responding to other incidents of looting in the surrounding area. On Sunday, police said they were “controlling and limiting” traffic around the Union Square area in response to the Friday night incident.
Burkhart said that police in Walnut Creek don’t know whether the Nordstrom looting is connected to incident that happened at the Louis Vuitton store, but said that investigators will be reaching out to authorities in San Francisco.
Amid the protests in response to the murder of George Floyd in summer 2020, Walnut Creek imposed a citywide curfew after a woman was shot and looters targeted stores at Broadway Plaza. In December, the Contra Costa District Attorney filed charges against nine individuals, accusing them of stealing from the Walnut Creek mall during those protests.
This is a developing story.
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