More than a dozen suspects were seen breaking into a luxury retail store in downtown Walnut Creek Tuesday morning, at the same shopping plaza where a flash-mob style robbery took place two years ago.
The Broadway Plaza is home to dozens of retail stores, attracting shoppers from across the Bay Area, like Jess Jayko from Concord.
“It’s like an extension of home, this area, where people come together and gather. Families of all ages,” said Jayko.
And Alexander Reseki, traveling from San Francisco.
“I come here once in a while, do some shopping and go to cafes, meet some people around here,” he said.
But on Tuesday night, the Louis Vuitton store was being boarded up after approximately 15 suspects broke in early Tuesday morning, crashing an SUV into the store to gain access.
Walnut Creek police say officers quickly arrived after getting 911 calls, stopping the robbery in progress, but the group sped away in multiple cars.
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It was just two years ago, right across the street where a flash-mob style robbery took place inside of a Nordstrom.
The city added retractable barriers as a result to prevent cars from entering the area.
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In July, those barriers came down, but on Tuesday, they were back up.
“We obviously did not have a heads up regarding this crime,” said Lieutenant Holley Connors with the Walnut Creek Police Department.
She said the barriers can go up for planned events, or if they receive intelligence regarding potential crime.
The incident took place weeks after the state rejected the city’s application for grant money to combat organized retail theft.
The application was submitted on time, but the state only granting money to a third of the agencies in their category, and Walnut Creek didn’t make the cut.
“It’s disappointing when you don’t receive the extra funding, however we still have resources to devote to this issue, because it is still an issue in Walnut Creek,” said Connors.
For shoppers who viewed the plaza as a safe spot, they’re now having second thoughts.
“You don’t know what to expect, it doesn’t matter if it’s Walnut Creek anymore,” said Jayko.
“I come here as a break from San Francisco, now it’s happening here, I don’t know where else to go,” said Reseki.
Walnut Creek police say the incident appears to be organized retail theft, and they’re still trying to identify the suspects.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Walnut Creek PD.
