Things in California continue to descend slowly and steadily into barely quantifiable chaos:
Shocking video shows a smash-and-grab gang using hammers to take over a California shopping center โ allegedly swiping around $100,000 of jewelry after threatening customers and staff.
The footage shows the gang of nine suddenly swarming La Placita Tropicana shopping center in San Jose with the hammers already in their hands.
Customers and staff were terrified as the gang screamed at them to "Get on the ground!," one of the owners told the Mercury News.
The footage from Jan. 3 shows the gang spreading out and smashing glass displays while others run around throwing jewelry into bags โ completely ignoring a female staffer who runs out and appears to try to stop them.
That was... quite an operation. These don't look like the type of guys to just do that sort of thing once.
Police claimed that the incident was more serious than other similar robberies we've seen throughout California:
"A takeover robbery is very different from a standard smash-and-grab or what we've seen recently with retail mall thefts," San Jose police Officer Steve Aponte said. "These individuals actually forced their way into the store. And by saying takeover robbery, they demanded everybody to get on the ground. They forced people who were present, including staff members, to do their will. And in doing so, they were able to take over, break the glass, take away the stuff that they wanted to take."
Okay that doesn't sound that different, but then again we're not police officers.
Anyway yeah things aren't getting any better in California it seems.
P.S. Now check out our latest video ๐