Group of thieves smash way into a Clovis Target store, then take off with electronics
UPDATE: The Clovis Police Department on Monday provided an update on its investigation, saying “There is NO evidence to suggest that this burglary has any connection to local protests or demonstrations.”
Clovis police also said the department is working with the Fresno Police Department “ to possibly connect similar cases that occurred in their city.”
ORIGINAL: The Target in Clovis at Shaw and Clovis avenues was broken into late Sunday night, police said.
Approximately 10-15 thieves in hoodies smashed the store’s front glass doors about 10:30 p.m. and took off with numerous electronics and clothing before leaving through a back exit and fleeing in two cars, according to Clovis Police Lt. Jim Munro.
The total amount of merchandise stolen was not immediately known.
It also is unclear if the burglary is tied to the numerous acts of looting that have occurred around the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a black man who died as a Minneapolis white officer kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes as he struggled to breathe.
Earlier Sunday, thousands attended a protest of Floyd’s death in downtown Fresno that remained peaceful throughout the packed demonstration.
“The California Penal Code defines looting as a burglary or theft that occurs during a state of emergency — and we are under a state of emergency because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Munro said. “So technically, it is an actual looting.
“Do we have evidence that it’s related to what’s going on nationally? No. Was this done by opportunists? Maybe. I will say that we here in Clovis have not experienced anything like this with 10-15 people part of a burglary in my 22 years being part of the police department.”
Clovis police were reviewing Target store footage of the break-in, as well as city cameras, to help track down the suspects.
Clovis police plan to increase their patrols of other area stores, Munro said.
The looting in Clovis happened the same day that Fashion Fair mall closed for the day and at least four local Target stores shut their doors early Sunday as a precautionary move amid nationwide tensions.
Target’s corporate office had announced indefinite closures for six stores in Oakland, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia and Minneapolis — all areas hard hit by protests in the wake of Floyd’s death during his arrest by Minneapolis police. Hundreds more were to close, according to an earlier announcement, but it appeared the chain shifted to more of a case-by-case decision based on local conditions.
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 12:57 AM.
