No Flash in the Pan

Imagine a large group of screaming teenagers swamping a store, grabbing anything they can and then running out with thousands of dollars of merchandise. It’s called a “flash rob,” and some in the retail industry say it’s on the verge of becoming a troublesome trend.

Much like flash mobs, participants use social media to organize and plan such acts. But they’re not there to sing, dance and entertain — they’re there to steal. A number of high-profile incidents in recent months have raised the eyes of retailers, and a new report by NRF finds that such attacks are not uncommon.

Power in numbers
More than 100 senior retail executives were interviewed for the 2011 NRF report “Multiple Offender Crimes: Preparing for and Understanding the Impact of Their Tactics.” Nearly 80 percent of respondents reported being a victim of a multiple-offender crime in the past 12 months, with 10 percent of the cases involving flash mob tactics.

NRF senior asset protection advisor Joe LaRocca says there has been an uptick in multiple-offender crimes in recent years. In the past, kids might boost a candy bar on the way home from school, but “Over the past nine months, we have had an increase in the number of groups using the Internet or social media to get together to steal from stores,” he says.

Retailers have raised concerns about such incidents: As flash robs usually involve large congregations of people, they can disrupt the flow of business, distract associates and create safety issues.

“Safety is a big concern with these groups,” LaRocca says. “When people engage in an activity that is illegal, they’re not always acting in the best judgment. They can get physical or rambunctious and people can get injured.”

The NRF report chronicles almost a dozen incidents around the country. In March 2011, a large group of teens ran into The North Face and Filene’s Basement stores in Chicago, knocking over displays, yelling and running out with more than $3,000 in merchandise. In June, 40 participants stormed a Sears store in Philadelphia and stole thousands of dollars in athletic shoes, socks, watches and other items. In April, some 20 teenagers stole $20,000 in clothing from a G-Star Raw store in Washington, D.C.

An ongoing Arizona State University survey into how criminals use social media found that one in 30 convicted criminals has used Twitter and other social media to organize criminal acts.

Often the work of juveniles
Flash robs aren’t usually the work of hardened criminals; they’re more often perpetrated by opportunistic youth who see the experience as a way to break the rules without getting caught. According to the NRF survey, juvenile offenders were involved in 83 percent of the events, and social media or texting was known to play a role in 42 percent of the apprehended cases.

In early August, about 40 youths ran into an Ottawa, Ont., convenience store and snatched more than $800 in merchandise in less than a minute. Video of the entire event was posted on YouTube. No one was hurt in the melee, but the retailer suffered merchandise loss and damage to displays.

Marc Soucy, a media relations officer with the Ottawa Police, says the flash rob appears to have been organized through Facebook. While it doesn’t represent a trend in Ottawa, he says retailers are taking a closer look when large groups of people suddenly appear in their stores. In some documented incidents, the perpetrators all run in at once; in others, they subtly arrive at the store one-by-one then wait until a specified time to start the attack.

“We advise merchants not to get physically involved and put themselves in harm’s way,” Soucy says. “We advise people to call us and just [stand back].”

Psychologist Jeff Gardere says that when people get together in such a mob, inhibitions are lowered and the group is capable of things that individuals may not be willing to do on their own. He says participants in such acts usually have poor impulse control and will act in the excitement to be part of the group.

“Social media becomes a social facilitation to do something that you may not do” under different circumstances, Gardere says. “It gives you the excitement to go in and break the rules. It’s about the thrill seeking.”

LaRocca says a flash mob gives participants the opportunity to commit a crime with the belief that they won’t be apprehended. When 40 teenagers descend on a store with three workers, few think they will be held responsible for their actions.

“They just see strength and anonymity in numbers and feel they can just overrun staff,” he says.

Intercepting and interrupting
Mall of America director of security Doug Reynolds says there has not been a flash rob at the nation’s largest mall, but his team is well aware of the risks. The company is working with an intelligence community that has successfully monitored social media and thwarted flash robs, and Mall of America also monitors social media on its own for potential threats and attacks.

“They can be stopped,” Reynolds says. “It is certainly not an easy thing but [social media] can be monitored to break up the cycle and prevent some of these incidents.”

Like a military ambush, flash robs require the elements of surprise and momentum to be most successful. When a flash rob plan is discovered through Facebook or Twitter, Reynolds says Mall of America LP staff will make contact with the groups, not only to discover their intentions but to let them know that security is aware of the scheme. If their intent is malicious, “just us contacting them usually puts an end to it,” he says.

“Flash robs” should not be confused with “flash mobs.” The latter usually involve a good-natured group that merely aims to surprise and entertain. Reynolds says that while flash mobs may be harmless, they are also a concern for retailers and malls because they can disrupt shoppers.

Conroe Brooks is co-founder of Flash Mob America, a company that professionally produces flash mobs with participants from around the country. Brooks is concerned that the term “flash robs” is giving his company’s surprise dance routines a bad name. He says Flash Mob America always gets advance permission from the locations where it performs and is aware of exactly who is performing in the events.

“We have always called in advance to get permission,” Brooks says. “It is very organized and we always know who is going to be there. There’s even a rehearsal.”