Two employees were at the store during the robbery and were threatened, according to the store owner.
The 76 Gas Station & Mini Market on Hegenberger Road was just the latest scene of a chaotic flash robbery early Friday morning. Around 70 people descended onto the gas station around 4 a.m., causing around $100,000 in losses.
Dozens were seen milling around the store looking for things to steal. They pulled drinks from the fridges and others were putting their stolen goods in boxes or baskets that appeared to belong to the store itself.
The owner, Sam Mardaie, said the ordeal lasted around 40 minutes.
“This is the hardest thing you could ever go through…especially if you’ve been put in sweat and tears day in and day out,” he said.
According to Mardaie, the business was only serving window service, but the robbers broke in through the front door.
One robber removed a snapback hat hanging on the wall, only to destroy what appears to be a light or camera that the hat rested upon.
Store owners told KTVU that six hours after Oakland police were called, they still had not received a response.
