Shoot the bastids!
More than 70 cars were stolen from a California dealership as protests over the death of George Floyd turned chaotic, news outlets report.
Carlos Hidalgo, the owner of a Dodge dealershipin San Leandro, California, told CBS SF that “he saw it coming” Sunday night.
“It was a war zone………They came in, finally got in here and they had tear gas, and there were cars crashed everywhere. It was bad, and 70 plus cars are missing.”
Carlos Hidalgo
Dodge Dealership Owner
The cars, which included trucks, Jeeps, Chargers and Dodge Challenger Hellcats, are valued at nearly $2.7 million, KRON reported.
Those who stole the cars broke into the showroom and were able to get into the lockbox, KTVU reported. They took the car keys and would test the alarm buttons to find out which key went to a car, CBS SF reported.
“I don’t know if this was just a moment of opportunity for some of those individuals or if it was a precise plan of operation.”
Lt. Ted Henderson
The dealership has recovered about 20 cars and hired new armed security to keep watch at night, according to KRON. Hidalgo told KRON that he employs 70 people who had just returned to work after coronavirus shutdowns.
“It’s not a cause for anybody.” Hidalgo told CBS SF. “This is just bad thieves. It’s horrible.”
Carlos Hidalgo
Dodge Dealership Owner
The violence and looting across the country is being done by much smaller groups at mostly peaceful gatherings, authorities say. The vast majority of the protesters across the nation have been “peaceful demonstrators calling for change,” law enforcement officials told ABC News.
Over 70 vehicles stolen from car dealership amid protests, California officials say
Calamity Jane