Thieves snatch jewels in Palo Alto Bloomingdale's crash-and-grab burglary

PALO ALTO, Calif. (KGO) -- The newly built Bloomingdale's at the Stanford Shopping Center was hit by a crash and grab burglary; the efficient thieves escaped with a lot of jewelry.

Shortly after 4 a.m. Wednesday morning, a red Jeep Chrokee smashed the large glass door and three people ran into the store. Palo Alto police agent Marianna Villaescusa described what happened next.

"They were wearing black hoodies, using some kind of tool, smashed open several jewelry glass cases, removed several items of jewelry," Villaescusa said.

It happened quickly. The thieves were in the store no longer than two minutes. Five hours later, a veteran officer found the Jeep. He knew exactly where to go, a small road next to San Francisquito Creek where stolen cars have been dumped before. The thieves had left, along with their loot.

This was the second crash and grab robbery in Palo Alto in three months.

Keeble and Shuchat Photography Store was hit in mid-February. Two men rammed the front glass door, then pushed back the steel chain gate just enough so they could crawl into the store.

They shattered glass cabinets and stole cameras and gear. Salesman Don Dimitratos couldn't believe Bloomingdale's was hit by a crash and grab.

"I'm surprised they keep doing this and getting away with it," Dimitratos said. "So, hopefully police will finally catch them."

San Francisco has had at least a half dozen crash and grabs since last fall. So far, no arrests have been made.