Surf Wiki
Save to docs
general/crimes

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Smash and grab

Style of burglary

Style of burglary

Note

a type of burglary

A road sign warning of the prevalence of smash and grab burglaries in the area

A smash and grab is a particular form of burglary or looting that involves smashing a barrier, usually a display window in a shop or a showcase, grabbing valuables, and then making a quick getaway, without concern for setting off alarms or creating noise. Typically, display windows and showcases that are in enclosed areas, such as shopping malls and office buildings, are less vulnerable to smash and grab raids than those on open streets – particularly where the streets are poorly lit or unobserved (such as premises in pedestrian subways or unstaffed transport facilities). Smash and grab raids can occur in many scenarios, both in broad daylight and at night, and the perpetrators can range from experienced thieves to impulsive vandals.

The greatest cost of smash and grab raids can often be in replacing the windows or walls, which can sometimes far exceed the cost of the goods that are stolen.

Smash-and-grab thefts also occur with vehicles.

Smash-and-grab thefts also occur with vehicles: a thief breaks a vehicle window and takes something from inside.

Deterrence

There are several approaches to deterring smash and grab raiders. Shopkeepers can securely tether their goods, and make the tethering obvious to the onlooker. They can also avoid displaying goods of value in windows, an approach that has the disadvantage of reducing the attractiveness of the display to customers. Additionally, shopkeepers can strengthen window glass, to the extent that it can withstand, without breaking, being hit by the implements that smash and grab raiders are likely to use, such as hammers, bricks, and scaffolding poles.

Smash and grab raids became common in the 1930s, and were particularly prevalent in the 1940s, but decreased in frequency as shopkeepers took to strengthening their windows and/or fitting protective grilles. By the 1950s, forced entry to shops was being affected by using cars and grappling irons to pull window bars off windows, a precursor to the 1980s phenomenon of ram-raiding.

References

References

  1. B. Poyner and W. H. Fawcett. (1995). "Design for Inherent Security". Thomas Telford.
  2. TEGNA. "Sixth ATM smash-and-grab this week reported in northeast Houston".
  3. (22 May 2023). "Preventing “smash-and-grab” car theft". WWLP.
  4. R. I. Mawby. (2001). "Burglary". Willan Publishing.
  5. Neal Shover. (1996). "Great Pretenders: Pursuits and Careers of Persistent Thieves". Westview Press.
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

crimes theft
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Smash and grab — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report