A crew of thieves reportedly arriving in two cars blitzed the Labels Luxury Consignment store, 1367 N. Main Street in Walnut Creek on Sunday night, making off with several thousand dollars worth of high-end handbags.
Several thieves entered the business at approximately 5:30 p.m., sweeping the bags off their shelves, dropping a few along the way, before reportedly heading for the freeway.
No descriptions are currently available, either of the cars or people responsible.
An initial loss estimate was set at more than $10,000.
I bet the mannequin was in on it.
So this amount stolen -$10k to 30k -is above the $850 allowable theft without going to jail, means that they will have jail time if caught? Right? But if they escaped back through the Caldecott Tunnel into Oaklandish-land, they won’t be caught & punished. Shame. No wonder over 11,000 cars have been stolen in Oakland this year!
I feel sorry for this store! They only resell other people’s items on consignment for a commission. Now a lot of people have lost money, and the store will probably not be trusted to handle more consignments knowing what’s happening in Walnut Creek lately.
Greg, thank you for your sympathy. Thank you to several of you who have replied here. You are correct that this hurts my business; even this coverage here hurts my business that I fought so hard to push through Covid. Just look at my block. This block was once voted the best women’s apparel shopping block in the entire bay area by Diablo Magazine and now there’s only a few of us left. The block is 1/3 vacant! My staff & I have given heart and soul for 25 years (though our yelp review certainly wouldn’t show that because folks only comment when something doesn’t go their way, though I personally witness at least 50 clients a day having a wonderful experience, so I give yelpers no merit… I’ll never read your nasty words that could’ve been resolved in seconds had you just asked me politely).
The same with media. Every time I’ve been interviewed, (and that had been at least a dozen times since Covid) it’s when I had to board up my store multiple times or I had a robbery, much like this one. Some are in broad daylight, some at dusk, and some at 2 AM in the morning. Never to celebrate us.
The media (and so many clients/consumers) don’t appreciate what greatness a small businesses creates, and honestly that’s the biggest crime.
We offer a safe space for community building. Our staff and clientele is diverse in every way, and we come together over either a love of sustainability, fashion, shared bay area experiences or even just because we need a solution to a life event (a gown, a functional handbag, a unique gift). I love my staff, my clients and my community. I’m tired of vehicles, like yelp, and all media only bringing sensationalized, negative recalls or stories to you. Do better.
* FYI, every consignment shop will have a clause for not being responsible for damage or loss. Though i do, I have paid out every single client for every stolen item. But yes, Labels will still loose lots of business because now I’m not to be trusted due to 8 young men, deciding to do a grab and run at Labels last night. I hope a few of you will reconsider.
Thank you for your kind and informative comment. I love your store – always have! You deserve more good recognition for all that you offer to women who love beautiful things but cannot afford the original prices. I hope you are able to continue your fantastic service for all of us out there.
Yea I think the mannekin knows something!!
Glad no one hurt.
Check the last 48 hours of CC video for the usual suspects. Someone targeted the expensive bags, someone not wearing a mask at the time.
The insanity continues. I feel so bad for local businesses unable to write off this kind of crime on their insurance.
So sorry this is happening to all our stores.
No. Look at the mannequin’s hand. She is saying, “What the f…?!”
If the thieves approached from alley, Mancinis Sleepworld has recorded video next door. FYI
We’re certain – or, at least, we hope – local police are conducting their usual convass of cameras in the area. Some stores/entities have their own requirements regarding use of their video and that is sometimes a factor but we stand ready to distribute any video or stills that may help the public identify these crews and how they work.
Jerry, the two cars with eight thugs pulled up in front of our store on N. Main St., just a half a block from Mount Diablo, in front of dozens of pedestrians. We have cameras. We ALL have cameras, and gates, and protocols. They were all in masks. They had fake paper license plates, and even if they had real license plates that were traced, they would likely be stolen cars, rental, cars, or out of jurisdiction. If they are not caught before getting on the freeway, there is absolutely no chance of getting merchandise back or an arrest being made. The only reason I make a report, time after time, is because these are likely organized rings, and maybe some seemingly unimportant bit of information could be a lead. These dead-end reports hours pull hours of my time in compiling lists of merchandise stolen, surveillance (the robbery itself and days before to possibly identify anyone “casing”) and all the follow up because I will never hear back if i don’t) Furthermore, i can’t recall even one situation where WCPD went to my business neighbors asking for helpful surveillance. That was left to me.
As a business serving our WC & Berkeley communities for over 25 years, with a staff of 20 who give all they’ve got 7 days a week assisting me with running this, more complicated than normal, retail business, it’s just so unfortunate.
She is saying: “Look at what these a******s did!”
Karma is a bitch. They will pay for this one way or another. So sorry for this happening to them.
Thank you for your timely reporting. The Walnut Creek City Council needs to be held accountable. All of the small business owners, residents and guests deserve public safety. Why don’t we have a complete surveillance camera system similar to Morgan Hill? Why aren’t we rotating freeway on ramp closures? Why isn’t the police department fully staffed? Why are are we planning to spend $70 million on a new community center and pool?
Thank YOU for your kind words, Anne, sorry it had to happen. We’re watching closely and hoping change is afoot – we shall see.
And the hits just keep on coming.
I have shopped and will continue to shop at this absolute gem of a store in WC…they are knowledgeable and an amazing staff. So sorry this happened but this is when the community needs to rally around people!
Go to a council mtg and ask Cindy Silva
Thanks for the alert. Sorry to the business.
You guys should build a flash alert system for local business so they can be aware of these things.
Can you give us a description of the suspects please?
Labels is one of the shops that I have enjoyed supporting throughout the almost 30 years I’ve lived in Walnut Creek. The shop is a downtown gem not only for their inventory, but for the excellent customer service and expertise of the shop’s staff. It’s sad to hear that some folks readily take to commenting on Yelp instead of corresponding directly with the shop’s management. What’s even more sad is that the shop was victimized by these cowards who have no moral compass. Show your faces, cowards, or are you as ugly as your consciences?
I wish to thank News24-680 for making us aware of the unfortunate and unwelcome actions by the lawless individuals who drive here to raid our city. Thanks to your expertly-timed and precise notifications, we can make educated decisions about our safety and remain watchful as we go about town. (Perhaps our photographic memories and cautious eyes may one day be of assistance to law enforcement.) By the way, we need to hear from law enforcement!! Aren’t we supposed to work in tandem? We are at a position to $upport law enforcement! Who cares about an Olympic-style pool when our streets are at risk of ending up even more unsafe, to the point where we join the conglomerate of crime that most of the Bay Area has become?
I would never want to live in a country or city where people are kept blind from the truth, and I certainly hope that WC leaders are being forthcoming versus opting to jeopardize our safety by hiding truths. I’ll be keeping a watchful eye for truth and action from City Hall and the WCPD to decide where my votes and my tax dollars need to go!
Recruiting for police departments has become impossible with DA’s who would rather find ways to jail cops than put away criminals. Many cities are paying huge signing bonuses, my godson recently went from San Mateo County to Orange County. Only hope is to have someone like me nearby who is prepared to jump in.
Firestone 11R
Oh, the current pool is a costly maintenance issue and the cost is far less than 70 million
Firestone 11R
Elections have consequences, just saying…
Is this the domestic terrorism we keep hearing about?
More in line with the highly aggressive retail theft we keep hearing about…
Post the video
They’re targeting everyone carrying designer bags because they can turn them over easily at the local flea markets.
Two or more cars. Measures to keep from being seen on surveillance cameras. Hit and run methods. Who are these crews?
I have bought things at your shop for my most special events, like my wedding rehearsal dinner and daughter’s Bat Mitzvah. So thank you for being there through the years. So sorry you were robbed.
Flea markets might now be passé. Current method, according to videos on X, is to wait until dark and lay out the merchandise on San Francisco’s sidewalks to sell it there.
Interesting. An actual, illicit Sidewalk Sale…
May be a time for a decoy fencing operation in The City. Saw a few of those back in the day.
LN,
My shop takes in some consignments, we have insurance and would payout in the event of theft.
Firestone 11R
Interesting firsthand reaction from local business owner. Sheds a lot of light on what this site has been reporting for some time.
I’ve not been a customer prior to reading this article but now I’ll be going to Labels today to drop off some pursues and as well try to support the shop with a sale! The way we support small businesses can be shown through many ways, including making sure they have some new great inventory for small business Saturday next weekend. Plus, hate to think the owner thinks this coverage hurts her store more; I do very much appreciate knowing about these issues through the news alerts.