Sacramento County convenience store looted over the weekend, video shows
RIO LINDA - Video recently posted on social media shows a 7-Eleven in Sacramento County being looted by a group of people Sunday night.
According to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office, at around 11:30 p.m. 40-50 who were gathered the intersection of near Rio Linda and Elkhorn boulevards for an illegal sideshow turned their attention to a nearby 7-Eleven convenience store and broke windows and stole items -- from electronics to cigarettes, to food.
In the video, which the sheriff's office verified, you can see thieves moving in and out of the store through broken front windows. They then leave the store with hands full. The person recording the incident is heard saying: "cover your face" and laughing.
On Tuesday, the front windows were boarded up with plywood sheets. The sheriff's department says looters got away with thousands of dollars worth of items.
Deputies responded to the incident within five minutes of the first call going out, but by the time deputies arrived, the looters were gone.
The company issued a statement about the incident, saying: "The safety of customers and employees is a top priority, and we are thankful no associates were harmed during this unfortunate incident."
Cameras in and around the store captured images of the looters, but it's unknown if anyone has been arrested yet.
Nearby residents say the intersection is a popular place for sideshows. Rio Linda resident Anna Marie Tomlinson said, "You see that happening in other towns, other areas and now it's here and it hits home and it is just infuriating."
California retailers say rise in crime similar to this incident has hurt their business. In September, Target announced it was closing nine stores, including three in Northern California due to mounting thefts and organized retail crime.
Whole Foods temporarily closed its flagship store in San Francisco following concerns over crime in the area and threats to its employees. Retailers Dick's Sporting Goods and Ulta Bauty have also pointed to rising crime leading to shrinking profits.
