Dublin camera shop targeted in smash-and-grab robbery

DUBLIN, Calif. - Surveillance video shows a group of men running off after a smash-and-grab at a camera shop in Dublin.

It happened at Mike’s Camera in a shopping center on Regional Street just as the shop opened at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Dublin police Lt. Matt Farruggia said five men went into the store and confronted employees and a customer.

"Two men had firearms. The rest of them had hammers," Farruggia said.

The armed intruders – all wearing masks, hoodies and gloves - ordered everyone to the ground.

"They came in, they had guns. They proned everybody out on the ground and while they were proned out on the ground, that’s when they broke the display cases," Farruggia said.

They grabbed whatever they could get their hands on. All told, they stole items worth $80,000.

"They stole camera bodies, camera lenses and drones. They packed them up in their backpacks that they had on their persons and they exited the store," Farruggia said.

The men carried the drones in their packaged boxes. Each drone costs anywhere from $500 to $1,000.

The store closed for the day after the robbery and was still shut down on Thursday. Several regular customers were turned away. 

"I’ve used it at very special times, of course Christmas and birthdays and whatnot," said Kim Wallace. "And then to hear that the crime has yet again struck our beautiful area."

Farruggia said, "This is not something that normally happens in the city of Dublin, so when things like this happen it’s very concerning to us."