North Bay camera stores targeted in latest smash-and-grabs
A rash of robberies targeting camera shops in the Bay Area continues with more stores getting hit, including two stores in the North Bay.
The latest incidents happened at Seawood Photo in San Rafael and Shutterbug Camera Shops in Santa Rosa, where thieves returned for a second time in recent weeks.
In most cases, the robbers used a stolen car to ram through the glass door, spend just a few short minutes inside and take off with tens of thousands of dollars in goods.
"Carried in rocks," said Mike Paschke, President of Shutterbug Camera Shops. "They used their heels and kicked and smashed cases to pull things out. So, this is our high-end used case where we had a lot of nice used pieces in there."
The first incident at Shutterbug Photo happened on March 20th and Paschke believes the same thieves returned less than two weeks later.
"They're so happy doing it," he told CBS News Bay Area. "Watching the video and watching them break things just for fun. It's just heart wrenching. An extra twist of the knife kind of thing."
In the early morning hours of Monday, thieves hit Seawood Photo in San Rafael.
"It's kind of disheartening because you work hard to be a success and be viable at what you do and this kind of comes from behind and catches you unaware," said Graham Law, President of Seawood Photo.
In both incidents, the robbers took off with about $50,000 in camera equipment. Some of the items have already been found online, put up for sale.
"I think we're easier targets," said Paschke. "Because the margins so small, they can make a lot of money selling them used on eBay is what seems like is happening here and they can turn a lot of stuff really fast."
Paschke said consumers can help stop these robberies by not going for deals that are too good to be true.
For now, businesses are still working to fix the damage left behind and improve security to deter the thieves. Many of the stores have started online fundraisers to help them recover.
The silver lining in all of this is that no one has been hurt. Just about six years ago, Shutterbug was robbed during store hours and employees fought off the thieves.
In the most recent cases, no one was inside the stores except for a cat at Seawood Photo.
"This is Flash, our shop cat," said Law. "How you doing Flash?"
Luckily, she hid in a corner and has been getting a lot of love and treats since the incident.
"A lot of concern about our cat, Flash," he said. "She's the mascot of the store and she has fans that come in just to see her in a regular basis. Everybody is relieved to see that nothing happened to her."
Meanwhile authorities in Placer County, east of Sacramento, have arrested a Bay Point man in connection with a break-in at a camera store in the community of Rocklin.
