SMASH & GRAB
Addressing The Surge In Smash-And- Grab Crimes
BY JOEY BARROSO
Asmash-and-grab crime , also known as a “ flash mob ” crime , is a specific type of Organized Retail Crime ( ORC ). It typically involves a group of criminals breaking and entering a shop or business , “ grabbing ” valuable items , and then making a quick escape without worrying about triggering alarms or making noise . Smash-and-grabs usually involve a large number of robbers in order to overwhelm or confuse any staff or law enforcement agent on the scene . Retail businesses , shopping malls , and office buildings in unenclosed and poorly guarded locations are most vulnerable to these crimes .
In 2016 , the National Retail Federation ( NRF ) reported that ORC had overtaken internal threats as the number one cause of inventory loss since 2014 . Sources and articles from various news agencies allude to the fact that there has been a rise in smash-and-grab crimes following the ending of the COVID-19 lockdown in different cities . These incidents are still recurring far too frequently , and according to the Honolulu Police Department in a KITV 4 news article , there have been 577 burglaries as of May 25 , 2022 .
According to a Forbes news article , these perpetrators usually target stores with high-value and easily resellable merchandise such as electronics and designer accessories . This would mean that the criminals escape with merchandise worth thousands of dollars . One possible cause could be the rise in e-commerce during the pandemic , which has made it particularly easy to resell stolen items . As if to make things scarier and more dangerous , it appears that if employees , witnesses , or customers step in to try to stop the attackers , the criminals are willing to use violence against them . These flash mobs have been spotted numerous times equipped with weapons such as crowbars , knives , guns , pepper spray , and other chemical irritants .
Retailers that feel they are vulnerable to these crimes have written a letter to Congress to call for legislative action against these crimes , but the sad news is that processes like these often take long periods of time and are not guaranteed . As a matter of fact , the amount of money spent on repairing the damage done to stores might even be more than the value of the merchandise stolen .
Businesses should take preventive measures to protect themselves from loss and harm . Below are some measures that can be put in place to curtail the dangers of smash-and-grab crimes .
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
• Installation of Video Surveillance Systems : Store owners should invest in and utilize video surveillance that
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