ROSEVILLE, Calif. — Roseville police said extra officers — both uniformed and undercover — will be patrolling shopping centers, as well as increasing traffic and DUI enforcement over the holiday season.
The Roseville Police Department said a group of five to 10 people wearing masks jumped out of several cars and ran into the Roseville Galleria Macy’s but ran back out the same door around 8 p.m. Monday. Police said the group ran back out empty-handed to several waiting cars — some without license plates.
"I do feel a bit uneasy knowing that that's been happening but I'm still taking the risk in coming here," Kendall Prokopik, a shopper said. "And I'm hoping that stops happening soon because it is pretty scary. "
Roseville police say they expect robberies to increase during the holiday shopping season — implementing a zero-tolerance holiday enforcement policy.
"We will put additional marked patrol officers out on the street patrolling our shopping centers also we have undercover officers who are working parking lots working inside our malls and our retail establishments," said Public Information Officer for the Roseville Police Department Rob Baquera.
Roseville police said ultimately no crime was committed — but the incident was suspiciously similar to successfully "smash and grab" robberies that have occurred in the Bay Area over the weekend.
Westfield malls across the country are working with local police as the holiday shopping season picks up. Police are asking people to be alert and good witnesses.
"Collectively our holiday enforcement plan we hope to keep crime rates down in Roseville ultimately," said Baquera. "We want to pass a zero-tolerance for retail theft and crime in our community."
Police say if someone finds themselves in a situation like a robbery— take note of the suspect's description including scars tattoos shoes, type of car and what direction they take off. These details police said. an be extremely helpful in tracking down culprits.
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