Organized crime syndicates are behind the rampage of retail theft in luxury stores in California, according to a law enforcement official.

Crime rings reportedly pay thieves $500 to steal items worth thousands, while also terrifying customers and workers, according to a Daily Mail report.

The president of the Coalition of Law Enforcement and Retail, Ben Dugan, said that criminal networks recruit mainly young people, offering $500 to $1,000 to steal specific merchandise from stores and sell it online.

Dugan said that they're not talking about someone who needs money or needs food. He noted that people who do the crime do it for high profit and for the thrill.

He added that it may look very chaotic, but the crime is actually done in an organized manner.

The president of the coalition said that crew bosses organize it and give the thieves crowbars, and in some cases even rent them cars.

Dugan said that the crime groups sometimes provide thieves escape routes or a list of products that they actually need to steal, according to an Associated Press News report.

Dugan said that flash mobs are usually organized by local people who recruit their crews and send them to steal specific merchandise as requested by criminal organizations across the country.

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Retail Theft in California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law in July targeting retail theft and re-established California Highway Patrol's Organized Retail Crime Task Force.

Newsom's office said that the task force has handled 773 investigations and had recovered almost $19 million in stolen merchandise, according to a Forbes report.

Newsom recently said that he would be directing CHP to increase its presence near retail areas. He recently said that CHP immediately ramped up patrols nearby highway corridors after the thefts this weekend, asking local officials how they could help.

Dugan said that groups of robbers took advantage of protests that erupted after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

He said that it was meant to look like looting, but it really wasn't. Dugan said that it was a criminal entity employing other people to steal for them with profit in mind.

Luxury Stores Theft

Dugan said that retailers lose about $65 billion each year due to organized theft, with a huge bulk of the stolen merchandise done by professional thieves.

At least 30 people on Friday night had burglarized several of San Francisco's high-end stores, with law enforcement officials calling it the most brazen thefts in recent memory, according to The New York Times report.

The stores affected included Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Bloomingdale's, Yves Saint Laurent, Walgreens, Fendi, Hermes, and Armani.

Manny cannabis dispensaries were also affected.

Chief Bill Scott of the San Francisco police noted that the robbers' plan was to overwhelm law enforcement.

Police said that as many as 80 suspects targeted a Nordstrom store in the San Francisco suburb area, with some of the suspects wearing ski masks and carrying crowbars.

Walnut Creek police said they arrested two suspects and recovered a gun, while two employees were assaulted and one was hit with pepper spray.

READ MORE: Walgreens to Close More San Francisco Stores Over Retail Theft Concerns; Says They Are Not Immune to It

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by Mary Webber

WATCH: Police Advise Walnut Creek Businesses to Be on Alert Following Organized Retail Theft - from NBC Bay Area