Walnut Creek Approves Uniformed Police At Nordstrom After Rash Of Thefts

WALNUT CREEK (BCN/CBS SF) - The Walnut Creek City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved an agreement between its Police Department and Nordstrom, allowing for a uniformed officer to be present at the Broadway Plaza store, with Nordstrom reimbursing the city for the officer's overtime.

A series of "grab and run" thefts in the area, including at Nordstrom, by "organized retail crime groups" prompted the move. The plaza's Apple store struck a similar agreement with the city, after seeing similar robberies. Police have said the officer's presence eliminated Apple's problem.

The council officially approved $231,514 for the move, which will last for a year and be repaid by Nordstrom in quarterly payments. Officers will volunteer for the assignment and be paid overtime.

A staff report for the meeting said vehicles belonging to the same groups targeting high end stores around the Bay Area, have been captured on video around Broadway Plaza.

"These thefts have resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost property and a perception that Nordstrom may be unsafe for patrons," the report says. "The Walnut Creek Nordstrom has experienced instances of this type of crime. Nordstrom security staff and management is concerned about the safety of their employees and their customers."

The move won't affect Nordstrom's regular security staffing. Officers will be subject to the regular police chain of command and be able to respond to larger emergencies across the city, if necessary. The agreement will last from Aug. 4, 2021, to Aug. 4, 2022.

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