Bloomington, IL- ‘Smash and grab’ burglary ignites false rumors of gunfire at Bloomington mall

BLOOMINGTON, IL- Bloomington Police are investigating a “smash and grab” burglary Saturday evening at an Eastland Mall jewelry store and at the same time trying to calm fears that a much worse incident happened there.

Police told 25News that someone entered Rogers & Hollands shortly after 6 p.m., smashed a glass display case, and ran off with an undisclosed amount of merchandise. At least some of the stolen items were recovered, according to police.

No employees or customers were injured, but the loud sound of breaking glass created confusion and led to rumors that shots had been fired at the mall.

Police turned to social media to assure the community that there was no gunfire there.

“There was a police presence at this location. Shots were not fired, and no evidence of gunfire was discovered. The investigation into this incident is ongoing,” the department said in a Facebook post. “We encourage everyone to verify information before sharing it online, as spreading false claims can cause unnecessary fear and confusion.”

Meantime, police provided a partial description of the burglar. He is a light-skinned male wearing dark clothing, and his face was covered, according to police.

Article by Howard Packowitz of 25 News, click here to view article.

If you have any information regarding this incident or information on these suspects, please contact the Jewelers’ Security Alliance at jsa2@jewelerssecurity.org or 212-687-0328.

Learn More About Jewelers Security Alliance

JSA fulfills its mission of informing and alerting jewelers about crime through frequent E-Mail Crime Alerts and print publications, a website, seminars and consulting activities.

Learn More about JSA