A coordinated group of at least ten suspects ran into the open Neiman Marcus store this afternoon at Stanford Shopping Center, escaping with more than $150,000 in handbags. There were no injuries, and no weapons were used. The suspects are at large.
On Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at about 12:20 p.m., our 24-hour dispatch center received a call of second-hand information of a man with a gun inside the Neiman Marcus store at Stanford Shopping Center at 180 El Camino Real. Officers responded immediately and soon learned that there had not been a man with a gun, but rather a burglary shoplift that had just occurred.
The investigation revealed that ten unarmed suspects (five male and five female) entered the open store and grabbed 43 handbags, some of which they physically ripped off security cables (causing some glass in display cabinets to shatter). They exited the store and fled in three vehicles prior to police arrival. Police believe at least two additional suspects were acting as getaway drivers but did not enter the store. Police believe someone mistook the sound of the breaking display cabinet glass to be a gunshot, as there is no evidence any of the suspects were armed. The total value of the handbags was more than $150,000.
Witnesses could only describe the suspects as black males and females, all of whom were wearing face coverings and hooded items of clothing. The three vehicles were described as a white Ford Mustang, a dark blue Infiniti four-door sedan, and a white Infiniti four-door sedan. Two surveillance images of some of the suspects are attached to this release.
Officers are actively investigating this case, to include working with regional partners to see if the same group of suspects may be connected to any similar thefts in other cities.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to [email protected] or sent via text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984.
