flash mob robbery
Swarm-and-grab crime
A flash mob robbery is a coordinated theft in which a large group suddenly swarms a store, grabs merchandise, and disperses before police can respond.
The term adapts flash mob—originally describing spontaneous public gatherings organized via social media—to criminal activity.
Also called a smash-and-grab or mob-and-rob: The store was hit by a flash mob robbery; twenty people rushed in and cleared the shelves in under a minute.
- smashBreak violently apart
- smash and grabViolent quick robbery
- grabSeize abruptly
- swarmMass of moving insects
- theftUnlawful taking of property
looting · coordinated · viral · social media · chaos · storefront · surveillance · security footage · hoodie · scatter · getaway · shoplifting · brazen · organized · organized crime · retail · shattered · glass