FARMINGTON, Utah — Police said a group of four thieves walked into Apple Station Park Friday morning, and in less than a minute, escaped with a high dollar amount in smart phones, tablets and laptops.
According to Farmington Police Sgt. Brian Cooper, the four men in hoodies entered at 10:06 a.m., and the entire heist lasted roughly 38 seconds.
“I mean, it’s just brute force, grabbing things as fast as you can, stuffing them into their pockets,” Cooper said. “There’s no violence, nothing like that.”
Surveillance video obtained by KSL TV showed the thieves spent no time on small talk as one grabbed electronic device and electronic device, pulling the phones and tablets away from the table, along with their charging cords.
Another thief could be seen in the video closing and stacking up laptops before running for the door.
“I mean, these things happen fast,” Cooper said. “I’m sure this seems surreal when it’s happening, right?”
Police said additional surveillance footage outside the store captured the men leaving in a black Chevy Malibu. According to investigators, the license plates were stolen off a different vehicle in North Salt Lake.
Cooper said the group appeared to be very experienced, and it was possible the men came from out of state.
He said a similar heist that unfolded in Farmington four years earlier was part of a spree that touched multiple states.
The suspects in that heist were apprehended, according to Cooper, and it was believed they were still behind bars.
The theft unfolded as workers and customers watched and didn’t act, something Cooper didn’t fault.
“At the end of the day, we’re talking electronics,” Cooper said. “Is that worth getting hurt or possibly killed over? I don’t think so.”
While police declined to disclose the total dollar amount of products stolen from the store, they said it was “significant” and enough to rise to the level of a first-degree felony charge.
Anyone with information has been asked to contact Farmington Police at 801-451-5453 or dispatch at 801-451-4150.
