Crime & Safety
Smash-And-Grab Jewelry Theft Sparks Gunshot Reports At Bergen County Mall
The sound of the glass breaking prompted some shoppers to call 911, causing a SWAT response and a lockdown at Bloomingdale's, police said.
HACKENSACK, NJ — A smash-and-grab jewelry heist at a mall in Bergen County brought the SWAT Team on Tuesday after panicked shoppers thought they heard gunshots, police said.
Hackensack police responded to the Riverside Square Mall on a report of possible gunshots, they said on social media on Tuesday afternoon.
When police arrived, they determined that someone had smashed a display case at Bloomingdale's, stole jewelry, and left.
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"The sound of the case shattering caused multiple patrons in the mall to contact 911, reporting gunshots," police said.
As of 1 p.m. the suspect was still at large, police said.
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There were no injuries due to the theft and police are investigating.
Bloomingdale's was locked down for just under an hour, but the mall remained open, said Police Captain Gregory Zisa.
The Bergen County Sheriff’s Department, Regional SWAT team, and other area police responded, police said.
"The mall has since resumed normal operations and there is no cause for public alarm at this time," said police.
A TikTok video posted around 12:30 p.m. showed a series of police vehicles racing toward the mall.
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