Strip Mall Blitz Burglars Hit At Least Ten Businesses In Pleasanton-Livermore Thursday

A series of brazen, pre-dawn burglaries at businesses in Livermore and Pleasanton was witnessed in part by a television news team and filmed as the burglary crew smashed their way into restaurants and other businesses – eluding a police response summoned by the reporter/cameraman team.

NBC Bay Area’s Bob Redell was at work with a station cameraman in Pleasanton around 4:30a.m. Thursday in preparation for another story when a silver car occupied by four to five people all masked and dressed in black appeared and began smashing their way into storefronts.

As in other recent thefts of this kind the crew appeared to be in search of cash from business registers and, as the newsmen saw firsthand, were in and out of several businesses within minutes.

Pleasanton police units arrived within minutes, according to Redell, and a short pursuit was initiated until the driver of the getaway car began to use evasive tactics officers felt presented a possible danger to the public and the pursuit was terminated.

Police were already searching for suspects following reports of break-ins at about 3:50 a.m. at several businesses at Pacific Pearl shopping center near the Livermore outlets.

At press time, police reported no arrests in connection with the crimes.