Team of thieves strikes Apple Store in Modesto’s Vintage Faire Mall

Police are investigating a case of grand theft at the Apple Store in Vintage Faire Mall after four men quickly hit it, grabbed merchandise and fled in a vehicle Wednesday morning, said Modesto Police Department spokeswoman Heather Graves.

Little additional information was available because investigators still were in the field at about 1:30.

A witness, who asked that only his first name, David, be used, told The Bee the theft happened about 11 a.m. and “they took practically half the store.”

David and his wife were in a back room because they’d brought in computers to have work done. “All of a sudden the alarm starts going off and we see this big commotion,” he said. At first, he thought he was seeing a fistfight, but quickly realized the men were closing and stacking up laptops, grabbing phones and other devices and accessories.

The men were not masked, David said. They shouted no commands and showed no weapons. “It was like a football blitz, it was quick and coordinated.”

Store employees, who indicated to him they’ve been trained not to engage, stood and watched as the theft – over in a matter of seconds – occurred, he said.

“The sad part, the part that pissed me off, is the Apple guy said it happens all the time,” David said. “The scumbags shouldn’t be able to get away with it.”

This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 2:01 PM with the headline "Team of thieves strikes Apple Store in Modesto’s Vintage Faire Mall."