Over $25,000 worth of stolen retail property was found and 36 people were taken into custody as part of a targeted crime suppression operation called “Smash & Grab,” according to a statement released by the San Bernardino police on Monday.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has reported an increase in retail theft in several regions, including Rancho Cucamonga, Apple Valley, Hesperia, Victorville, and Chino Hills.
These areas were the focus of the operation, which took place during the weeks of July 26 and August 8.
A news statement from the SBSD stated that these crimes “frequently involved organized crews plotting to commit burglaries, robberies, vandalism, and shelf sweeps.”
“These violent criminals terrorize the citizens of San Bernardino County by utilizing intimidation tactics and a mob mentality that creates an unsafe and uncomfortable shopping environment for our residents,” according to the release.
Images provided by SBSD show the items that investigators retrieved: a gun, tools, drinks, packed chicken and beef, laundry detergent, personal hygiene products, clothes, and electronics.
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The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approved funding for the crime suppression operation, which enables the sheriff’s office and its allies to provide more enforcement support in cases when crimes are linked to community quality-of-life concerns, according to the news release.
The San Bernardino Police Department, San Bernardino County Probation Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and California Highway Patrol, in addition to SBSD and its gang and drugs division, provided assistance in Operation Smash & Grab.
