The number of smash and grab robberies taking place in California seems to be escalating. Earlier this year we seemed to get one video like this a month. Now it seems to be happening every week. The latest incident took place at a Chanel store in California, probably  in San Jose.

As you can see, there were people in the store who are frightened and trying to get away. There are also security people. One of the thieves gets knocked to the ground but gets up and runs.

Smash and grab at Chanel store in the Bay Area California.

🔊 … 🚨🚨🚨

Why won’t the elected leaders of this region respond? Do they also enjoy living with this?

Just another day in California. 😳 it’s probably too late to even fix it. This region is just too far gone and… pic.twitter.com/36QHn3WCdr

— Wall Street Silver (@WallStreetSilv) September 16, 2023

Chanel stores have been targets for these kinds of smash and grab robberies across the country. Stores in LA and Orange County were hit last year just 12 hours apart. A flash mob of 10-15 suspects robbed a Chanel store in Washington, DC in February.

In any case, Chanel isn’t the only target. Earlier this month, another smash and grab crew stole a quarter million dollars worth of high-end watches from a store in Newport Beach. Notice they had a person dressed in regular clothes who was already inside the store holding the security door open for them.

KCAL News spoke with the employee working during the robbery. He says that he had buzzed in a customer, who can be seen in surveillance footage from the store wearing a white t-shirt.

“He held the door open and three other accomplices came in, smashing display cases,” the employee said, referring to the locked steel security door, which requires each customer to get buzzed in by an employee…

“We have to buzz people in. You can not tell people go away,” he said. “It’s a problem, we have to handle it. We have to live with it.”

Smash-and-grab thieves steal $260,000 worth of watches in Newport Beach, California.
In Newport Beach, an incident that was captured on the store's surveillance cameras.#California #smashgrab pic.twitter.com/ueYzlzeWZp

— 2two k (@AbacusIavo) September 15, 2023

Also this month a group of six men smashed the glass counters at a Macys store in Northridge and stole $20,000 worth of perfume.

Smash and grab at Macys in the Northridge Mall earlier today. Over $20k in perfume and other items taken 👀🤬 pic.twitter.com/5xx348Uy9l

— HumanDilemma (@HumanDilemma_) September 11, 2023

These could be the same people who attempted another smash and grab at a mall in Anaheim Hills. They were chased out by the owner who said he had a gun but who actually seems to have had bear mace on hand.

Smash & Grab attempt in Anaheim Hills 🤦‍♂️#grindfacetv
TT/ remzythejeweler pic.twitter.com/vxJtRWM2x3

— GrindFace TV (Entertainment) (@grindfacetv) September 10, 2023

At the end of last month, a Nordstrom in Irvine was hit by a man and a woman who stole armloads of clothes.

Ok, now the California smash and grab robberies are affecting nicer areas. Nordstrom in Irvine got hit.#crime #california pic.twitter.com/xDCEPkYAZh

— 🌈 Tess T. Eccles-Brown, PhD (@TTEcclesBrown) September 2, 2023

This robbery of a Home Depot happened maybe a day earlier. They stole about $5,000 worth of power tools.

Thieves looting thousands of dollars worth of power tools from Home Depot in California 😳 pic.twitter.com/yaJLwDgbOM

— BAY AREA STATE OF MIND (@YayAreaNews) August 31, 2023

I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest these crews are not going to stop robbing retail stores for a living until someone in California makes them stop. But who would that be? The stores won’t allow employees to do it. They could wind up in a lawsuit. The police are understaffed and only show up when the thieves are long gone. And even if by some miracle one of these guys gets arrested there’s a good chance the progressive DA in charge will find some reason to give them a second chance and put them right back out on the street.

At least that’s how it has worked up to now. However, the state is now investing hundreds of millions of dollars to stop these robbery crews.

SoCal law enforcement agencies are getting a sizable funding boost to fight “smash & grab” robberies, to the tune of $267 million.

Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are each slated to receive more than $15 million, among the largest awards…

“Enough with these brazen smash-and-grabs. With an unprecedented $267 million investment, Californians will soon see more takedowns, more police, more arrests, and more felony prosecutions. When shameless criminals walk out of stores with stolen goods, they’ll walk straight into jail cells,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.

Gov. Newsom to the rescue? I’ll believe it when I see some results. Just this month, it seems like the thieves are having their way with retailers and no one is doing anything about it.