This is the full account of what happened when I saw a group of kids steal a laptop while a woman was typing on it.

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Two guys, sitting at a table. Probably for like 45 minutes. 

They just were looking around, going into the bathroom. 

They bought something, used cash. 

They went upstairs at one point, for maybe 5 minutes. 

Basically everyone said "they looked kind of sketchy but I didn't want to profile". 

I was about 5 minutes away from starting a script that was going to take a while to run, and I was going to get something to eat while it ran.

They made eye contact with me a couple times, I kind of felt they were sizing me up. 

I didn't want to racially profile either, so I tried to be inviting. I didn't like hold my computer or anything when they walked by, although honestly I considered it. They just seemed sketchy the way they were walking around.

I was so close to going to get something to eat, but I didn't want to leave my laptop unattended, so I decided not to. I didn't eat for like 1.5 hours because of that. 

I was feeling uncomfortable, honestly, because they were acting so sketchy, but I didn't want to make assumptions. 

Then one of them got up, started walking toward the exit, and then he leaned over and grabbed the woman sitting next to him's computer, and started sprinting out the door. The other guy just was walking out, and kind of tried to block the entrance so she couldn't sprint after him. Then I think he started running. Coffee went everywhere, and the woman screamed "HEY" and then started chasing after him. 

I thought “well what are they going to steal though, nobody is paying in cash these days”, felt better after that, and was going to buy something eventually. Just didn’t feel great about leaving my computer. 

Thought “well what if these guys were white. Would I feel the same way?” And I thought “well they are being kind of sketchy”. Also thought about how they were dressed, just in hoodies. 

Saw the video tape. Talked to the managers afterward about hoodie policy. 

The manager and the woman whose laptop they stole both afterward said “I kind of felt uncomfortable but I didn’t want to racially profile”. 

I thought “I’ll get up and then just look right over at my computer every couple of seconds, that’ll be fine”. 

Thought about MAC address tracking. Interesting idea. Take down all MAC addresses, could track people that way. 


She said she grabbed the guy but he squirmed away. She said “FUCK YOU” and then he said “FUCK YOU” back.