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Emeryville Apple Store latest victim in string of ‘grab & run’ thefts across the state

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The Emeryville Apple Store at Bay Street was the most recent victim in a string of “snatch-and-grab” thefts that have plagued the state. This one occurred at about 10:25 a.m. Saturday morning.

“I saw three tall figures all dressed in black with hoodies and bandannas across their faces,” described Emeryville resident Steven Fajardo who was there for a workshop. “My first reaction was that it was some type of video being made or something but then I saw the three guys starting to yank the chain computers away from the display tables.”


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Fajardo noted there was no security present and the thieves left the store without resistance jumping into a black SUV that was waiting for them. “Emeryville police did respond although not very quickly so I’m assuming they canvassed the area for the vehicle first.”

Fajardo’s description is consistent with other incidents reported throughout the state recently. Many have been captured on surveillance video and demonstrate how quickly the thieves can make off with tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise to resell on the black market.

The Emeryville Police Department confirmed the incident through the provided summary:

On Saturday August 25 the Apple store was the victim of a grand theft. The three suspects wearing masks went into the store, grabbed merchandise and fled the store. The suspects were not confronted or stopped by Apple employees or security, therefore it was classified as a grand theft and not a robbery. It’s suspected there was a vehicle waiting for the suspects to get away but no license plates of the vehicle were provided to officers that day. The officers were not able to locate suspects.


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The Corte Madera Apple Store was hit Wednesday and the Walnut Creek store was also the victim of a robbery Saturday evening with a similar vehicle description. A Black Mercedes SUV with the (likely fake) license plate number 5XRS835 was captured on video speeding away from the scene. There was also a report that the Berkeley 4th street Apple store was victimized on Friday.

A recent incident at a Thousand Oaks mall in Southern California was disrupted by some good samaritans that led to the arrests of five suspects including four from Northern California. According to a Sacramento Bee report, Tynisha Noel, 26, of Fresno; Mona Benoit, 23, of Sacramento; Donte Sims, 24, Antioch; Edward Benton, 23, Antioch; and Timothy Terry, 19, Antioch were all arrested and are being detained in Ventura County on suspicion of burglary.

ABC 7 compiled surveillance videos of all four bay area robberies including the Emeryville store in the below video segment.

This is not the first documented incident of this type at the Emeryville location with at least one report logged in the June 2017 crime report and another during the holidays in 2014.
9/4/18 Update. On Labor Day evening, The Emeryville Apple Store was hit yet again:

On 09/03/18 at about 6:10 pm, 4-5 suspects entered the Apple Store on Bay St. and took Apple devices. The number of devices stolen and the dollar amount of the merchandise taken is still being determined by Apple Store employees. No Apple Store video has been made available to us as of yet. The suspects did not threaten or injure anyone during the theft.  The suspects fled the scene in and awaiting, early 2000’s year, grey/silver Chevy Impala. There was an Apple Store security guard at the store at the time of the theft but he was unable to deter the suspects.

9/12/18 Update. The Emeryville Apple Store was hit yet again:

On September 12, 2018 at about 7:51 pm, officers responded to the Apple Store for the report grand theft. Two cars stopped on Bay St. and double parked in front of the Apple Store. Approximately 6 male suspects exited the vehicles and ran into the store. While inside the Apple Store the suspects removed merchandise from the display counter tops and fled the store with the Apple products. The suspect vehicles were last seen driving north on Bay St. Officers canvassed the area and were not able to locate the suspect vehicles or the suspects. The investigation is ongoing.

9/25/18 Update. … aaaaand again:

Today at about 12:23PM, a group of 6-8 subjects committed a grab and run theft at the Apple Store in Emeryville. The suspects fled with an unknown amount of Apple products. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Emeryville Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Section at (510) 596-3700.

If you have any information useful to The EPD, please contact them at (510) 596-3700.

We have reached out to the Emeryville Police for updates and clarification and will update this post if new information is made available.

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Rob Arias

is a third generation Californian and East Bay native who lived in Emeryville from 2003 to 2021. Rob founded The E'ville Eye in 2011 after being robbed at gunpoint and lamenting the lack of local news coverage. Rob's "day job" is as a creative professional.

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