New 'Rainbow Girls' Takeover Robbery Captured On Video; 3 Suspects Identified
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Surveillance video of another so-called Rainbow Girls takeover-style robbery of department store has been released by San Francisco Police, and investigators have identified three suspects.
The latest incident happened last Tuesday July 28 at an Ulta Beauty department store on the 2600 block of Geary, police said.
The manager told police about seven females and two males wearing hooded sweatshirts and beanies rushed in and ransacked the store, overwhelmed the store clerks as they ran through the store grabbing merchandise.
Most of their attention was focused on the cologne and perfume display racks.
There have been a series of brazen takeover robberies at San Francisco retail stores by groups of young women who police dubbed "Rainbow Girls" for the bright clothing and dyed hair the suspects often have.
In this case, since there were at least two men involved police have called them the Rainbow Crew, and point out the people involved are not always the same.
"It's not the same crew, it's the M-O (modus operandi)," said police spokesman Officer Carlos Manfredi. "It's the way that they do it. So, you might have nine people in this particular case? Well, maybe two out of the nine in this case will hit another department store with two other friends. So it's the style within itself that dubs them the Rainbow Crew."
Manfredi said the video and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies led to the identification of three suspects.
They were identified as 21-year-old R'Mani Minard and 31-year-old Mercedes Cannorier of San Francisco, and 40-year-old Andrea Rose of Oakland.
Minard and Rose are currently wanted on outstanding warrants and Cannorier is currently on probation for burglary.
Police said more than $11,000 of merchandise was taken in the robbery.
The suspects are wanted for felony second-degree burglary and felony conspiracy, as police said their actions demonstrated preplanning and coordination with specific intent to steal from the business.
Carlos E. Castañeda is Senior Editor, News & Social Media for CBS San Francisco and a San Francisco native. You can follow him on Twitter or send him an email.