Transcribe your podcast
[00:00:00]

Tonight, amid the holiday shopping rush, a rash of retail theft. Often what appear to be mobs of thieves targeting and sometimes taking delivery trucks with packages inside.. These chaotic scenes playing out across the country. Look, I want to start now. Drivers left helpless.

[00:00:23]

Oh, my God.

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And even in danger, like this one held at gunpoint in Florida earlier this year. Communities on edge, too.

[00:00:34]

We need these guys. They deliver our stuff and all that, man. So these.

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Guys are stopped. Amazon, FedEx, and UPS all calling employee safety their top priority. Amazon says incidents like this are rare, while UPS tells us drivers are taught to be aware of their surroundings and to report anything they consider unsafe. How long have you been with Skokie PD?

[00:00:54]

Twenty-five years.

[00:00:56]

In suburban Chicago, Skokie police detective Jose Mendo says crimes like these often come with few consequences for the criminals. These huge mobs of people, swarming stores, swarming trucks like these massive smash and grabs. What is fueling this?

[00:01:10]

My opinion is the lack of accountability. A lot of these kids, the majority are juveniles and there are no consequences.

[00:01:19]

Thanks for watching. Stay updated about breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or follow us on social media.