Smash-and-Grab Robbery

Smash-and-grab robbery is a form of theft that involves smashing through a barrier, typically a glass display window or showcase, to gain quick access to goods, grabbing items and fleeing before responders arrive. It most often targets display windows and showcases in stores, museums and shopping centers, though it can also target vehicles by breaking a window to steal the contents inside. The practice became common in the 1930s and was particularly prevalent in the 1940s, declining afterward as shopkeepers reinforced their windows and fitted protective grilles. The cost of replacing broken windows or walls can often exceed the value of the goods actually stolen, and a related modern variation, ram-raiding, uses vehicles such as pickup trucks to crash directly through a wall to reach a target such as an ATM.